The Pack
by Karasu Kyra
Summary: -COMPLETE- Ino Yamanaka is the pride of the pack. She falls for a human, and ends up turning her. Amidst Sakura learning to be a Werewolf, Sound attacks Konoha, and Ino is kidnapped leaving Sakura to lead the pack. InoSaku, SasuNaru
1. Chapter 1

AN: Yo, Karasu here. This is my new story. It's about werewolves. The character's are definitely OOC, so please don't complain to me. Welll, reviews make me reeaallly happy, so please do so, and if you're a reveiwer of What Doesn't Kill Us Will Only Make Us Stronger, and I haven't replied, please be patient I've had a lot going on. Also the sequel is on hold for a little longer because it kinda got deleted and I'm still rewriting it. >;; Now, please ignore the hideously long AN.

The Pack

By: Karasu

Chapter 1: The Pride of the Pack

A girl stood on top of a tall building, watching the storm quickly rolling in. Her long, blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail, whipped around her. The light of the moon shone through the night, to reflect her alabaster skin. Her aqua-marine eyes were sharp, looking out across the city, her pack's city. She pulled a piece of hair, that escaped the ponytail, behind her ear. She drew in a breath and spoke.

"_Once every two hundred years, a member of the pack is chosen. The chosen are exceptionally strong and skilled._

"_The pack, well, we're werewolves. Being born into the pack comes with great responsibility. From birth they swear you to secrecy._

"_Once a week, we must hunt. If we do not, we get a bloodlust. We usually hunt deer." The girl's lips stopped moving for a moment to twitch into a small smile. "It's easier than explaining a few missing people._

"_We're not werewolves as you think. Our eyes turn yellow, we grow stronger, and faster. Our eyesight, and accuracy is increased." The wind blew harder whipping the blonde girl's long black coat around her lithe frame. A cloud covered the moon, plunging the city darker. The girl closed her eyes._

"_The pack goes to school, and work, just like everyone else. You really aren't able to tell the difference between them and your average person. Except, perhaps, for there looks. We're all unnaturally…attractive. That's because we were meant to attract humans to…hunt."_

_The girl paused to gather her thoughts, her eyes narrowing, before she continued. "Well, recently I've been told, I'm the Pride of the Pack. The chosen werewolf, that is exceptionally strong and skilled. And me, I'm Ino Yamanaka." Lightning flashed behind Ino, before going dark again. Her blue eye's flashed yellow before she dove of the building, jumping midair to land safely on her feet, against the pavement of an alley._


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I realllly need a beta…;; Anyone interested? Pwease? ish begging Okies, I hope I'm getting better with my writing. Please tell me what you think. Constructive criticism, please? Anyone?

School's starting soon so this story will definitely **not** be coming out at an even pace. I's sowwy. ;;

Also, I definitely screwed with the story line a bit but it'll all turn out, well, I hope. But, enough of my ranting, here's the story.

The Pack

By: Karasu

Chapter 2: The Challenge of the Pack

A pink haired girl walked down the street sipping at a coffee, even though it was evening. She shuffled around a few papers before shoving them into a black messenger bag with several pins on them. She continued down the block before turning and walking into an old looking building.

A man spoke to her when she entered. "Hello, ma'am. Welcome to Konoha City Library. May I help you?" He smiled kindly, tipping his balding head in a friendly gesture.

"No, thank you, sir. I'm just here to look around." She smiled, brightly back, her bright green eyes flashing, as they caught the light.

"All right then, ma'a-" The man was cut off by the girl's word's.

"Sakura Haruno. My name's Sakura Haruno."

"Okay then, Ms. Haruno."

Sakura smiled, as the man went back to his customary place near the door. She turned and walked briskly, around a few shelves of books to a vacant table. She put her stuff down before taking a seat. She pulled out a notebook and a pencil and began to stare at the paper.

A few hours later she had written only a few more lines it seemed, and had papers scattered everywhere. Sakura looked up, when the loudspeaker popped. A dry voice came across the line announcing it was closing time. She looked down and frowned. Her next chapter was due soon. She really needed to get moving.

The pink haired girl frowned again, brushing her bangs away from her eyes before sliding her chair back and standing up. She began to gather all her papers into one pile, then, shuffling them into a straight stack. She threw her pencils into her bag. Then she grabbed the pile and turned, running straight into someone. Her paper's went flying everywhere, and she went flying towards the ground.

But no impact came. She opened her eyes to see a woman's chest. She blinked before a blush took her cheeks. She felt herself being put upright, as her body was not cooperating with her, and then she finally saw the young woman's face. She was beautiful, Sakura thought. Her face pale, she had pale blond hair, and the most intriguing aqua-blue eyes.

"I-I'm sorry!" Sakura said, automatically, averting her gaze to the floor, blush still present.

The blond girl bent and picked up one of her papers, nearest to herself. It read something about…werewolves, a small drawing of a female werewolf in the corner of the paper. "Did you…write, and draw this?" She asked.

"Yeah…" Sakura said, shyly, before bending and gathering her scattered papers.

Ino silently watched the pink haired girl gather her papers. The girl sprang back up, her green eye's alight, and a blush still painting her cheeks. Ino could smell the blood gathered there. Her eyes flashed yellow quickly, then changing back, all unnoticed by Sakura. Ino blinked before speaking. "It's about werewolves?"

Sakura smiled. "Yeah, but, not as you and I would normally think of. These are…they're sort of…vegetarians, I guess would be an appropriate word. They don't hunt humans, they hunt…forest animals. They're peaceful. They use to run this city, I heard. The Wolf Bloodline."

Ino gave a strange smile. "Perhaps, they still do." She turned and left, disappearing behind row upon row of shelves.

Sakura blinked at the beautiful blonde girl's statement. She shrugged it off and began putting her paper's in her bag, before walking out of the building. Just as the door to the library closed, Sakura realized, she didn't know the other's name.

Ino turned and left the library without another word. She was surprised she let that line slip. She wasn't supposed to speak anything about the Wolf Bloodline to outsiders, let alone show interest in one. The challenge of the pack. Ino smiled sadly to herself.

She turned down an alley and walked up some stairs to a second story door. She lost all train of thought when her hand touched the knob.

She opened it and walked into a living room lighted by a lamp in the corner, a middle aged, brunette woman, was curled up in a chair, a blanket thrown over her legs and a remote in her lap. She was facing the television. Ino shut the television off and then the lamp. She walked over to the woman and picked her up, carrying her down a hall and to a bed. She put the woman under cover's and kissed her forehead. "Good night, mother."

Ino's mother mumbled in her sleep and rolled over, curling up with the cover's. Ino left the room then and walked to the living room, to see a brunette haired boy, with a lazy posture, sitting in her living room.

"Shikamaru." Ino said and did the customary bow, which is proper to another member of the pack.

The boy in the chair sighed, and twisted his head towards Ino. "I saw you tonight…at the library, with that girl. Ino, you know the rules. No one from outside the pack. Do you know how much trouble that would cause us?"

"Yes, Shikamaru I know."

"But, you showed interest in that girl." He pushed, very unlike him.

"She doesn't even know my name."

"Mm."

"Whatever."

Ino glared, before turning down the hall again, and into another room. She flopped down on the bed and closed her eyes until morning.

Ino woke to the smell of egg's and bacon. Her aqua eye's opened blearily, and she threw an arm over her face, to block the offending sunlight, pouring in from her window. She groaned and rolled out of bed, realizing she was in the same clothes as the night before. She grabbed a black, high collar, sleeveless shirt and a pair of black jeans.

She trudged to the bathroom and took a quick shower, and threw on her clothes. She walked to her room and pulled out her brush and pulled her hair into a ponytail again. She walked out to the kitchen, now partially awake. She ignored her mom, to go to the coffeepot and get a cup of coffee. Once she chugged that she opened her ears.

"-we're hunting tonight." She caught the end of her mother's sentence.

"Alright. I'll see you later, I'm going running."

"You're always running, dear." Ino's mother started, turning, and realizing her daughter was already gone.

Ino took off down the street and pulled on the jacket she had grabbed on the way out. She zipped it up partially and pulled the hood up. She took off down the main street, on which she lived. She jumped up and kicked of a wall and continued running past a small café, which was particularly busy this morning.

Suddenly she heard a female voice call out from the crowd. "Hey, wolf-girl!"

The blonde's head snapped toward the voice, only to see the girl from yesterday, carrying a coffee and running toward her. Her eye's widened and she took off sprinting down the street. She turned an alley quickly and jumped up to the second story, disappearing from sight.

Sakura turned into the same alley and ran down the alleyway to an opening. She looked around but could see no sign of the blond girl. Suddenly she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Something came fluttering down.

It was a business card. She picked it up and examined it. It read:

Yamanaka Flower Shop 

It also gave a street address. Sakura smiled to herself. Maybe she really would get to meet this girl.

Ino walked down the building stairs and out the front door. She kept walking until she reached her family's flower shop, which she worked at. She greeted her mother's friend who also worked there.

She grabbed a thick, forest green, apron and threw it over her neck and tying it around her waist. She also grabbed a pair of garden gloves and pulled them on. She walked in back to the greenhouse, and opened the glass door, slipping into the humidity needed for the tropical plants.

She was just finishing watering, and trimming them when she heard the door open. She ignored it and kept on working.

"Hey wolf-girl."

Ino's head snapped up, and her aqua eye's flashed, dangerously. "Don't call me that."

"Then give me something to call you."

"…Ino." She said after much, thought.

"It's nice to know your name Ino. I'm Sakura." Sakura still stood in the doorway.

"Why are you following me?"

"Mm…I just want to get to know you, I guess…Your dreams, your thoughts…just…you." Sakura said, longingly.

Ino glanced behind Sakura, and saw Shikamaru coming towards them. "You've got to get out of here."

"But-" Sakura started.

"Listen, what will make you go away?" Ino asked, exasperated.

"A date?"

"Fine, tomorrow at seven, meet me here."

"Okay! Oh, and here." Sakura smiled, holding out a folded sheet of paper. Ino took the paper and Sakura turned, passing Shikamaru on the way out.

Shikamaru walked into the greenhouse, eyeing Sakura warily. He passed her by to walk up to Ino, looking at the paper she was just handed. "What's that?"

"Nothing." Ino said, pulling the paper behind her, she turned and walked past the brown haired boy, to the door.

She felt the paper leave her hand and looked back, to notice Shikamaru gone, before snapping her head forward, angry. "Give it back." Ino warned.

"Why, it's just trash." Shikamaru drawled, lazily, opening the paper. It showed a well-drawn female werewolf. He flipped the paper for the blonde haired girl to see. "Taken up a job in modeling, my dear sister?"

"Brother, she doesn't know. She was at the library studying for a novel she's writing. This picture was on a paper. I showed interest."

"Well, now-" The lazy, brown haired boy, started shaking his head, his gravity defying ponytail, slightly disturbed.

"NOT like that." Ino emphasized.

"Mm-Hm. Listen sister, you can play with anyone you want, just don't go telling any secrets you're not supposed to." Shikamaru pressed.

Ino growled, grabbing the paper and stormed out of the greenhouse. "Whatever."

Shikamaru watched Ino leave, sighing to himself. "See you tonight, Ino."

Ino ran out of the flower shop and down a few streets to her house, paper clutched in her hands. She grabbed a key out of her pocket, unlocking her apartment door, throwing it open.


	3. Chapter 3

The Pack

By: Karasu

Chapter Three: The Fear of the Pack

She looked down and realized she was still wearing the apron from the greenhouse. She took it off and threw it over the back of a chair, promising to take care of it later. She glanced at a clock, subconsciously noting she still had a few hours before the hunt. She sighed before going to her bedroom for a nap.

Ino's eyes snapped open as she heard a creak in her bedroom. She saw a figure in the darkness. She wished she could see it clearer, but that would give her away. She sat up quickly and leaped out of her bed at the figure in her room, pressing it against the wall.

She looked to it's yellow eyes, the figure about a foot taller than her, with pale hair. She growled at the unknown figure, her eyes bleeding yellow, and growing taller. "This is the Konoha Pack's territory. Who do you run with?"

The figured smirked. "The Sound Pack. Kabuto Yakushi, at your service."

Ino let out an inhuman growl. "What is Sound doing here?"

"Now why should I tell you that?" Kabuto asked, sweetly.

"Get out of Konoha." Ino warned, baring her teeth.

"Will do M'Lady." He smiled, dipping his head slightly, before sliding along the wall to the window, and out. Ino watched him leave, then growled, her breathing growing steadier, before she faded back to her smaller, human form. She walked over to her closet and pulled out a long, black jacket. She walked out to the living room with it, threw it on, and grabbed her car keys.

The blonde drove down the highway to a small, seemingly, unused road. She turned her headlights on low and continued into the forest until she reached a small clearing filled with people. She parked her car off to the side, and got out, moving over to a certain small group of people.

There stood several boys, including Shikamaru. It was a full moon tonight, giving off much light. It shone of the five boy's skin. "Brother." Ino greeted, then turned to each boy.

First she turned to a larger boy with brown hair, eating a bag of chips. "Choji." He nodded at her.

She turned again to face a boy in a fur-lined hood, with triangular tattoos on his cheeks. "Kiba."

Then she faced a blonde haired boy in an orange jacket. "Naruto."

Then she turned to a final boy, who was the palest of them all, with coal black eyes, and a dark blue shirt, and white shorts. "Hey Sasuke-kun! Did you miss me?" She asked wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Naruto growled playfully, glomping Sasuke. "Hey, he's mine."

Ino winked at him. "I'll fight you for him."

"I heard there's an outsider you'd fight for." Naruto's voice dropped, still hanging on Sasuke, his mate, and boyfriend.

Ino frowned. "Perhaps…"

"Be careful. You know that Tsunade doesn't like outsider's much." Sasuke said, in a low voice, a frown planted on his face.

"Yeah, she'll dishonor you, and cast you from the pack." Naruto added.

"Her reign is almost over. In time I will lead the Pack." Ino muttered.

"Into the New Age I hope. We're so old fashioned." Naruto complained.

Ino smiled at that. Her generation couldn't wait for her to lead the pack. They were ready for a New Age. The elders were very afraid of it. She would teach them.

Everyone turned their heads as a young looking woman, yelled out to silence everyone. Her amber eye's scanning everyone present, pushing a bit of blonde out of her face. Everyone bowed their head running their right hand down their left arm in the customary bow of the Konoha Pack.

"Tonight, my pack, is the night of the full moon, when we are strongest. Tonight, we hunt." Her voice boomed across the grounds, making cheers erupt from the younger generation.

Everyone removed their coats and placed them on the ground. First the Fifth, took off into the woods first, followed by the elders and finally the younger generation.

Ino followed Sasuke and Naruto into the woods, who always ran side by side. All three at once, grew taller, they're eyes turning yellow. They started running at an even pace.

'Something else happened tonight.' Ino called to the two in their head.

'What?' Their voices called back in unison.

'I took a nap today, and woke up to a noise in my room. It turned out to be Kabuto Yakushi. He says he runs with the Sound Pack.'

'What was he doing in your room?' Naruto asked.

'I don't know. Nothing obvious was missing, and he didn't say anything.'

'Ino I don't like the sound of this. We're going to be staying with you and your mom for a few days.' Sasuke voiced in a tone that left no room for argument. It didn't need to be said that we referred to him and Naruto.

'Okay, Sasuke. Tell my mother for me?' Ino smirked at the two's back.

Sasuke turned his head, smirking back. 'Of course, go have fun.'

Ino followed her mother into the apartment, with Sasuke and Naruto behind them. They walked into the kitchen and took of her coat and set her keys down. Her mother walked away abruptly, calling that she was tired and going to bed. Ino turned and looked towards Sasuke and Naruto.

"You two wanna crash in my room?" She asked, knowing the answer, as Sasuke had already explained to her, he wasn't letting her out of his sight.

They nodded, as she knew they would and told them to grab blankets and pillows. They knew where they were because of how many times they had been there. Ino walked to her room and sat on her bed, waiting for the other two. They came in moments later carrying a couple pillows and blankets. The two worked to get a makeshift bed made, before sitting atop the laid out blankets. Naruto sat between Sasuke's legs, who had his arms wrapped around the blonde boys' waist, and the ebony haired boy's chin on the other's shoulder.

"So what are you up to tomorrow, Ino?" Naruto asked, providing a noise in the loud silence.

Ino thought a moment before an image of a blushing Sakura came unbidden to her head. She blushed and looked away. "Nothing much."

Naruto grinned. "Then why are you blushing?"

"No reason." Ino said.

"Ino-chan!" Naruto whined. "I thought I was your best friend." He pouted, turning his head away from Ino and towards her night stand. His eyes' caught site of a paper that looked like it'd been folded and unfolded many times. He snatched the paper and opened it. It showed a female werewolf. It was signed, To Ino, From Sakura Haruno, with a little heart at the end of Sakura's name.

Ino's eyes widened when she saw what he had grabbed. Sasuke sitting behind the blonde, caught Ino's barely visible movement. "Ino, would this girl be the reason behind your blushing?"

Ino turned away again. "Of course not."

Sasuke smirked, and Naruto, who had finally caught on, grinned. "Ino-chan." Sasuke said. "Who is she?"

Ino sighed. She'd never get out of this until she told them. "I met her at the library, and I showed some interest in her writing. She's writing about werewolves, about us, more or less, and she came by and gave me this paper, and asked for a date." Ino's face fought between smiling and frowning.

"Well, what did you say?" Naruto asked, excited.

"I said yes, and shoved her out the door because-" Ino broke off do to the squeal Naruto let out.

"Damn, Naruto, sometimes you define the stereotypical gay. As I was saying, I shoved her out the door because Shikamaru was coming. He found the paper and got angry."

Naruto flinched. He knew Shikamaru was usually laid back, unless it had to do with outsiders.

"I'm sorry. Well, we'll sneak you out or something." Naruto smiled, and then yawned, leaning back on Sasuke. "I'm tired."

Ino sighed. "Well, let's go to bed, I guess." She said laying back and flipping the light off. "G'night."

Sasuke laid back, bringing Naruto with him. "Night." They called back in unison.

Ino closed her eye's, quickly falling asleep in the silence. Moonlight shown through her window, to highlight her face. Just then a human shaped shadow landed on her. In her window sill sat a pale man, with yellow eyes, and magenta make-up on his eyes. He grinned before flipping backwards to the ground, walking away.

0o0o0o

Ino's eyes fluttered open. Birds chirped outside and squirrels mingled. Ino sat up and stretched, yawning, when sudden realization hit her. She was going on a date today.

0o0o0o

Sasuke stood from Ino's family table, grabbing everyone's dishes from breakfast and putting them in the sink, rinsing them. Ino's mother was already at work. Ino was in her room, going through her entire closet looking for the right clothes to wear.

That morning, the moment her mother left, Ino freaked out. She started fretting about, and looking for hair things, and clothes.

Hours later, Ino stood before her large Victorian mirror, holding yet another shirt up to herself. She had already picked a nice pair of black jeans, and was now deciding whether to go with the maroon, long sleeve turtleneck or the black. She sighed putting both down. She pulled of the shirt she was currently wearing and slipped on the maroon, long sleeve turtleneck.

She turned to her mirror and picked up a crimson bracelet, clasping it around her wrist. She then went into her bathroom and pulled out all her makeup and decided on doing her eyeliner, eye shadow, and mascara, in a deep red. She finished off with a light blue, lipstick.

She smiled to herself, finally exiting her room after many hours of hiding in there. When she walked into the living room, she saw Sasuke and Naruto, cuddling on the couch. watching TV. They looked up when she entered.

"Hey, gorgeous!" Naruto greeted in a loud voice. Sasuke, annoyed and jealous, smacked him on the back of his head.

Naruto turned and pouted. "Whadja' do that for Sasu-teme?"

Sasuke just "Hmph"ed and turned his head away.

"Aww, Sasu-kun, you know you're the only one for me!" Naruto grinned. "Besides, wolves mate for life."

Just then the three heard a knock at the door. Ino walked over and opened it to reveal Tsunade standing there. The one woman the whole pack respected and feared. The fear of the pack.

The large breasted woman smiled, her amber eye's soft. "May I come in?" She asked in a singsong voice.

"Of course Tsunade-sama." Ino said, moving to the side and bowing.

Tsunade walked past Ino and into the living room where Naruto and Sasuke were still curled up on the couch together. They looked up from the television to see Tsunade, they quickly stood and bowed. Ino walked in just after her. "Is there something in particular you needed Tsunade-sama?"

"Yes, I'd like to talk to you about something Shikamaru brought to my attention." All three teenager's glanced at one another. "He said there's a girl you're…_interested_ in…Is there?"

Unable to lie to the head of the pack, Ino looked down to the floor. "Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"And you would like to be able to see her, correct?"

Ino nodded.

"You may see her on one condition…" Tsunade looked grimly at the blonde.

"And what may that be?" Ino asked, slightly hopeful.

"You have to turn her."

0o0o0o

AN: Yay! Another chapter down. Please review!!


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Sorry for the late update! -She smiled.- Hope you like this chapter. Chap 5'll be out soon. Though I'm still working some things out on it. Haha. Read and Review.

The Pack

By: Karasu

Chapter Four: The Hardships of the Pack

Ino blinked at Tsunade. "I have to turn her?"

"Correct. She's in great physical condition, and she's very smart. I believe she would make a good mate for you when you take over this pack." Tsunade explained herself.

"…" Ino was silent. She wasn't sure she wanted to take this girl's life away.

"Well Ino, those are your conditions. I'll be checking up on her later this week." Tsunade turned to leave.

Ino's head snapped up. "This _week_!?"

Tsunade paused, still not facing Ino. "Yes." She continued out the door.

Ino sighed, sitting next to Sasuke and Naruto who were silent on the couch. "So…what are you gonna do?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not sure. I don't really want to take this girl's life away…" Ino glanced around the room slightly, glancing at the clock. Her eyes widened. She had five minutes to get to the Flower Shop. She jumped up and grabbed her long coat and threw it on, running out the back door, to the metal stairs, jumping straight down them. Her coat fluttered around her, then dropped as she came to a safe landing on the pavement.

She darted out of the alley onto the sidewalk. She twisted and turned gracefully, avoiding pedestrians. She was blind to most things at the moment, the only thing that went through her mind was, _I'm late_. She turned another corner and came to a stop in front of the Flower Shop.

Sakura was sitting on a bench near the tiny outside garden the flower shop had to the side. Ino smiled and walked over to her, waving once she was near enough. "Hey." Ino greeted.

"Hi." Sakura grinned and stood to greet the other girl, waving back. The two stood a foot or so apart, feeling awkward, but, looking beautiful in the eyes of the other.

Ino half smiled at the girl looking calm and collected on the outside, hiding her inner turmoil over her earlier conversation with the head of the pack. "So, anywhere certain you wanted to go, or do?"

Sakura blushed, embarrassed. "Well, I did have something in mind…Would you mind?"

"I guess not." Ino shrugged.

"Well, there's this new café on the corner, so I figured we could check it out." Sakura smiled again.

"Alright. Lead the way."

Sakura nodded agreement, before going down the rest of the block. The two walked into a small, off yellow café, with brown accents. They took a booth, across from each other, near the window, well, what you could consider a window. The café was located underground so all you could see were the feet of the passerby's.

A waiter came as soon as they had situated themselves. "Can I start you ladies with a drink?"

"A water, please?" Ino asked.

"Of course." The waiter smiled, looking to the pink haired girl.

"And for you, miss?" He asked politely.

"A diet soda, please?"

"Coming right up." He flashed another smile.

When he left, Ino started searching her brain for something to say. "Uhm, so how is your writing doing?"

Sakura's eyes lit up. "Oh, it's going really good. My newest novel just got approved for publishing. You know the one I was working on, about the werewolves?"

"I can recall." Ino said.

"Well, my publisher really liked it, apparently. Do you know how amazing it would be, to become a werewolf?"

"Amazing, I'm sure." Ino said smiling.

Then the waiter came back with the drinks and two menus. The two looked up cutting off their conversation. He set them all down, and smiled again. "I'll be back to get your orders in a few minutes." He turned and walked away.

"Well, I mean, they become stronger and faster. They also have immortality!" Sakura cried, excited, after the man left.

"I don't think immortality would be all it's cut out to be." Ino smiled, wryly.

"Why not?" Sakura asked confused.

"Well, think about it. Imagine that you got turned into a werewolf at say…sixteen. Then in seventy years hardly anyone you knew would be around anymore. All of your family would have passed away, your friends, even acquaintances could seem significant."

Sakura looked thoughtful. " I never looked at it that way…"

Ino smiled again. "Not many do."

Ino took a sip of water, looking inquisitively at Sakura. "What if…" Ino started.

Sakura glanced up from her menu. "Hmm?"

"What if…you had the chance to become a werewolf? Would you do it?"

Sakura didn't even seem to think. "Yes, I believe I would, but, that'd be a miracle if I was offered the chance."

"…Sometimes, miracles do come true." The blond muttered, but, Sakura seemed to have heard her.

"Why do you say that?"

"No reason, just lost in thought I guess." Ino smiled, brushing it off.

Sakura shrugged. "Oh."

The waiter came back again. "Are you ready for you meals?"

"Uhm, yes. I'd like the pepper steak, please." Ino said, the wolf in her half rejoiced at the thought of meat, but was still craving blood.

"Okay, and for you?" He asked Sakura.

"I'll have a hamburger and fries, please."

"Alright, your orders will be here as soon as possible." He smiled again and walked away.

Dinner went nicely, Ino laughing and Sakura blushing. Every time Sakura blushed every instinct told her to taste the green-eyed girls' blood. Ino pushed it away each time, but her attachment to the girl grew. They were now walking out of the café. It was dark.

She wondered why. Why was she so attached? Could this girl be her bond mate? The predetermined mate for a wolf? Perhaps…

Ino's body screamed at her again. There was a way to find out if she was…

_Taste her_.

Ino shook her head, ridding her mind of the whispers.

"Are you alright?" A voice broke her thoughts. She looked over at Sakura who was giving her a funny look.

Ino laughed a little. "I'm fine."

"Okay."

Ino sniffed slightly, smelling water. She looked around and noticed they were in an alley again. Suddenly all her senses went off. She froze, grabbing Sakura's arm to still her.

A figure walked out from the shadows, a smirk on it's face, framed by silver hair.

"Kabuto." Ino growled, stepping slightly in front of Sakura. "What do you want?"

"Orochimaru-sama has requested that girl behind you to his presence."

"And what, may I ask, for?"

"He wants her as his mate." Kabuto grinned.

"Like hell I'll let him."

Kabuto sighed. "I guess I'm left with no choice but to use force."

He shifted into his werewolf form and crouched before Ino.

Ino changed and crouched in front of Sakura. "Ino what's going on?" The pink haired girl sound frightened.

Ino whispered back to her. "I'll explain later."

Kabuto used her distraction to lunge at her. He grabbed her and threw her to the ground. Ino landed with a thud. She retaliated by bringing her legs up and kicking him away from her. He landed on his feet a few meters away. He ran at her as she stood up. She dodged to the left, spinning around and clipping his shoulder with her claws.

Kabuto let out a hiss and grabbed his shoulder turning back to Ino. She was right in front of him. She reached out and grabbed his throat and pulled him upward and shoved him against the wall, kneeing his shin, most likely breaking it.

"By stepping foot on our territory you have just declared war on the Konoha pack." She hissed in his face. "Go tell Orochimaru _that_."

Ino threw Kabuto to the filthy alley ground. He got up and glared at her, before limping away, shrinking to his human form.

Ino turned, to stare into the frightened eye's of Sakura. "Sakura…" Ino started speaking but was cut off.

"Wh-What are you?"

"Come on. Let's go to my apartment. I'll explain there." Ino sighed, turning.

Sakura hesitated, but nodded and followed silently.

AN: Review please.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Hey all! I'm sorry this took longer than I thought. Ugh. So much drama! Anyway, here it is. The next chapter is the one you've all been waiting for. If I get eight reviews I'll post two chapters!! -She giggles- Drop me a message if you feel like it. I'm so lonely on here!

Love you all,

Karasu-chan

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Five: The Shock of the Pack

Ino opened the door to her apartment, and walked into the kitchen. She took off her coat and coaxed the timid Sakura in. Sakura slipped off her coat and held it in her hands.

"Would you like me to take that?" Ino asked, gesturing to Sakura's jacket.

"Uhm, okay." She handed the jacket over.

"Alright, so come on." Ino waved a hand, guiding Sakura to the darkened living room, where the television was on. Ino saw a lump under a blanket on the couch and assumed it to be Sasuke and Naruto.

"You can sit in the chair." Ino glanced at it, and watched Sakura sit. She then walked over to the couch and prodded the sleeping lumps. "Wake up. Nap time's over."

The two groaned, and poked their heads out of the covers. Ino looked towards Sakura. "Sakura, this is Sasuke," She waved a hand towards the raven haired boy who was glaring towards the general direction of Sakura. She then pointed at Naruto who was grinning. "And this, is Naruto."

Sakura still shaken up, simply nodded, as Ino took a seat at the end of the couch where a space had been opened.

"Well now comes the hard part." Ino sighed, closing her eyes for a moment, pinching the bridge of her nose between her forefinger and thumb. "What do you _think_ just happened?"

"I-I have no idea. I- You– We- And then-" Sakura's body trembled, shock still overwhelming her.

Ino let another sigh escape her, as she pieced together what she was going to say. "Well, we're werewolves…Exactly as you have described in your novels." She paused letting that small, yet hardly insignificant information, settle into Sakura's mind, knowing that the next words out of her mouth were going to greatly change the course of this girl's life.

"You said that…if given the chance to become one of us, you'd take it…correct?" Ino looked Sakura straight in her deep green eyes.

"Y-Yes but please, you're not implying what I believe you are…are you?" Sakura's breath caught in her throat.

"Yes." Ino replied with no hesitation.

Sakura's eyes widened and she stopped breathing all together as thousands of thoughts rushed her at once. She became disoriented and dizzy from lack of oxygen. She placed a hand on her head hoping to steady the spinning world before her. She didn't succeed and soon the spinning world faded to black as she fell unconscious.

Ino watched as the green eyed girl fell back against the chair, her pink hair splaying across her face. Ino sympathized. She could not even imagine being thrust into a word such as hers. So much information that was once fiction to the girl is now reality. All she once believed was thrown out the door. Science was no longer reliable.

Ino sighed and looked over to Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto smiled sympathetically. "I think…in the end…she'll understand."

"I hope so."

0o0o0

Sakura nodded into consciousness and found herself slumped against the back of an overstuffed armchair. Sunlight was pouring in a small window that showed another brick building a few feet away. Her mind felt heavy and she couldn't figure out where she was. Slowly pieces of last night came to her.

She suddenly felt an irrational calm all of a sudden. She sat back and looked around. There were the two boys she met last night sleeping on the couch. She heard someone moving around in the area she cam in at. She got up and silently padded her way out there.

Sakura watched silently in the doorway as Ino moved around the kitchen making breakfast. The blonde girl hadn't seemed to notice her yet so she continued watching. She had to admit, the other girl was stunningly beautiful, just as the legends she read, had said. Ino was humming to herself, seemingly unaware of the other.

As she watched Ino, Sakura's mind became less and less aware of everything but one thing. _She wanted to be with Ino no matter what_. Whatever that entailed, she'd do it. In that moment she was absolutely certain she would turn for the girl. Even though she knew none of the customs of a Were, she would adapt.

As Ino set the final dish on the table, she looked up to the other girl. "You know, I won't bite. You don't just have to stare. Come in and have a seat." She smiled gesturing a fine hand towards a wooden chair around the table at the center of the large kitchen.

Sakura blinked and blushed as she realized she had been caught staring. She scurried over to the offered chair and sat. She started wringing her hands together out of nervousness. "Uhm, Ino?"

Ino smiled down at the girl, taking a seat herself. "Yes?"

"I think…" The pink haired girl started, but her breath caught in her throat. She took a deep breath and began again. "I think…I would like to become one of you." She tried to sound confident, but it came out rather mumbled, but Ino seemed to have heard her.

Ino, elated, stood up and pulled the other girl from her chair and pressed her lips to the others. She decided she liked the feel of Sakura's warm, soft, and slightly chapped lips against her own. She felt Sakura's hand slip behind her head, grabbing a fistful of blonde hair and dragging her towards herself.

Ino pulled away smiling. She leaned her forehead against the other girl's, wrapping her arm around her waist and holding her closely. "I'm in love with you…" She whispered, her lips barely ghosting over Sakura's.

Sakura gave a light giggle. "I'm in love with you, too." She whispered back, before pressing her lips to Ino's once more.

Sakura felt Ino's tongue running lightly across her lower lip, and just as she was about to open her mouth and let Ino in, the two heard a giggle from the doorway behind Sakura.

Sakura felt the pressure of Ino's lips leave her own, and when she opened her eyes, Ino was gone. A male voice alerted her to someone's presence. "Oh shit!" It said, before soft footfalls were heard. She had turned around just in time to see Ino running after Naruto, Sasuke still standing in the doorway.

Sasuke silently watched the two run about before turning to Sakura. "You know, I'm really happy Ino finally found someone."

"Yeah?"

"She's our alpha-to-be and she would have been forced to choose a mate in a little over a month from now."

"I'm not so sure she'd choose someone like me for a mate." Sakura answered, looking down.

"Oh, I am. She wanted to sneak away from the pack for a night, just to see you. You see, our alpha doesn't like outsiders so much. Especially if they could expose us, which is why Ino asked if you'd like to turn." Sasuke gave a small smile.

"Oh, I see." Sakura answered.

Just then Ino came back. Her breathing was hardly labored. "Sasuke, go collect your boyfriend." She said, her tone amused as she looked back at Naruto lying on the floor, seemingly unconscious. Sasuke left the kitchen, just as Ino's mother walked in, sleep still lying heavy with her.

"Good morning, Mother." Ino said, smiling brightly.

"Good morning, Dear. Is there any coffee?" She asked, rubbing the back of her head.

"Yes, Mother. I made some earlier."

"Oh, who's this friend of yours?" Her mother asked.

"This is Sakura Haruno." Ino replied.

"Oh, It's nice to meet you, Sakura-dear."

"You as well, Mrs. Yamanaka." Sakura replied, bowing.

"Listen, Mom, may I talk to you?" Ino asked, fidgeting just slightly.

Ino's mom, quickly woke up. "Of course, honey. What's the matter?"

Ino sighed taking a seat, Ino's mother doing the same. Ino pulled out the chair next to her and motioned for Sakura to take a seat. "Well, as you may have heard from Shikamaru, or Tsunade-sama, I have been asked to change the person I am in love with, because that person is an outsider…"

"Yes, I have heard…" Ino's mother's brow furrowed in worry.

"Well, that person would be the girl currently sitting across from you." The blonde said.

"Oh, well, that's nice." Mrs. Yamanaka said, not knowing what else to say.

"And well, I was wondering, how exactly do you change a person and what is expected?" Ino asked.

"Well dear, it's not an enjoyable experience, necessarily, but it's not painful…For about twenty-four hours, you are not allowed outside. That is because you cannot control your morphing for that period of time. After that, you must hunt for your first time or you will die. That's all there really is to it. On a more biological level, it will be virtually painless. It will hurt when you have lost all the blood in your body and you essentially…die. Although…that process will only last a few minutes if your blood is removed quickly…" Mrs. Yamanaka gazed steadily at Sakura, whom did not look at all shaken.

"Well, that is what I learned from my research, and I am willing to accept it." Sakura's voice held no tremor nor trace of worry, or regret. For that, Ino was glad.

Sakura turned to Ino. "I am ready. I will do this."

Ino looked at this girl. "I know. Somehow, I knew you would." She smiled.

Sakura's face brightened. Sakura and Ino's head turned towards Mrs. Yamanaka again, when she called for their attention again. "Also, until the very end, the one who changes you will be present in your mind, the whole twenty-four hours. Every thought, memory, and feeling will be felt and seen by them. Are you comfortable with that?"

"Only if it's Ino." Sakura said.

"Alright then, dear. Is it too early to say, welcome to the family?"

Sakura laughed as the mood lightened. "No, I don't believe so. I'm glad you'll accept me."

"Of course child, as long as my daughter is happy. Now…if you'll excuse me…" She smiled, exiting the kitchen to her bedroom.

Ino turned to Sakura smiling. She wrapped her arms around the girls waist and pulled her into her lap. "When do you believe you'll be ready?"

"Mm…Tonight?" Sakura looked back her gaze falling to the girls face.

"That soon?"

"Yes."

"Wouldn't you like to say goodbye to family or something of the sort?"

"I don't really have a family. My _family_ decided I was dead to them the moment I decided I liked girls."

Ino scowled at that. "My family, being who we are, do not care what anyone's preferences are as long as they are happy. In a world of politics and animal instinct, it doesn't matter."

"I can understand that." Sakura nodded.

"Why don't we head to my room?" Ino suggested.

"Your work?"

"Shikamaru will cover for me."

Sakura shrugged at that. "Okay then."

Ino stood gathering Sakura into her arms bridal style. As she passed the living room she caught Naruto and Sasuke smiling at her. She smiled back before turning and entering her bedroom, kicking the door closed with her foot. She dropped down onto her bed, smiling, Sakura falling with her. Ino laid back on her bed, Sakura cuddling up against her.

Ino decided, she could really get used to this.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Alright, I'm updating early because I can't post the two chapters like I promised, though, the next chapter will be out within this week. By the way, to NarutoFanfic, I can't PM you. Eh, I'm actually surprised at the popularity of this fic, and I'm really glad people like it. Soon, we'll be getting into more action stuff. I really hope you guys like this chapter, it was really hard for me to write.

Also, I'd like to explain how I do things; I write chapters as they come to me. I have no already written out plot which makes it hard for me to have a schedule. Also, it makes it hard for me to keep track of things, such as dates I used, like the full moon and such. Ugh. I beg your forgiveness on that. Honestly, I'm a horibble authoress. Blarg.

I think that's enough of my rambling. To all my reviewers, especially, NarutoFanfics, and dthstlkr69, you have been my best reviewers so far. -

All my love,

Karasu Kyra

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Six: The Mark of The Pack

Ino wrapped her arms around Sakura's waist and drew her as close as she could. The blonde dropped her head to Sakura's throat, kissing it. On impulse she licked the junction between her neck and shoulder. Startled Sakura turned towards Ino.

"What would you say…if I wanted to mark you?" Ino chose her words carefully.

Sakura's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's marking?"

"It's…a mark that one Were puts on another claiming them. They can never be removed. Also, _my_ mark specifically would mean, you holding a rank in the Pack just below me. Once you turn, you can place your mark upon me…" Ino smiled.

"I wouldn't mind that." Sakura said. She turned her head slightly, baring her throat to Ino. "Mark me, love?"

Ino smiled again. "It won't hurt a bit. I promise." Ino dipped her head back down to the junction of Sakura's neck and shoulder, and licked it again. She discreetly shifted to her Were form. She opened her mouth, resting her canines on Sakura's throat. Without warning, she bit down. Instead of pain, like Sakura was expecting, she felt immense pleasure. Sakura let out a gasp.

Ino resisted the urge to smirk. She slowly began releasing a small amount of her chakra, forming her personal symbol on Sakura's neck. She released Sakura's neck and gave it a lick again, as she returned to her human form.

"Like I said…It won't hurt a bit…Come here, Hun." Ino held her hand out for the green-eyed girl, who took it. Ino pulled Sakura to her feet and led her in front of her full body mirror. She wrapped an arm around her waist, and used the other to tilt Sakura's head, showing off her mark.

Sakura gasped again, her hand rising to touch the mark; A small flower of wolfbane. "It's beautiful." She cried.

"We each have a different symbol, just along the left side of our collar bone. It's my personal symbol, a very known symbol among the Were's." She pulled her shirt down to show her the symbol.

"Why is that?"

"I'm…different. Not only am I the heir to the most powerful pack, I am the Chosen One. I'm faster, and stronger than all others." Ino sighed.

"Are you angry?"

"No, never. I was brought up to love, and protect my pack with my life, and being the Chosen One only helps that." Ino drew them back towards her bed, laying them down as before.

Ino pounced on Sakura just like a puppy. Sakura giggled fighting back, trying to pin the blonde girl. They rolled around the bed before falling a short distance to the floor, where the wrestling continued. It ended with Ino being pinned under Sakura, but Sakura had a suspicion, Ino let her win. Sakura straddled her hips, pinning the blonde's hands above her head, her face close to the others'. They were both panting, face's reddened.

Sakura leaned down and drew Ino's lips against hers before collapsing her weight on the other girl, resting her head on the blonde's chest. "I love you."

Ino smiled, bringing a hand up to pet the pink locks splayed across her chest. "I love you, too."

The two fell asleep on the floor like that, worn out from the night's events and their bout of wrestling.

0o0o0

A knock on the door woke Ino from her dreams. She pulled away from Sakura, walking to the door, and opening it. Sasuke stood there. "It's about 8 o'clock now."

Ino's eye's widened marginally. "At night?"

"Yeah…"

"Well then…Thanks, Sasu-kun."

He smiled, fondly. "You're welcome. Oh, by the way, Naruto and I are leaving in a moment. You're mother is staying with Shikamaru tonight, so you have the whole apartment to yourself."

Ino nodded. "Thanks."

Sasuke turned and headed down the hall again. Ino closed the door to her room and turned to see Sakura awake and sprawled across her bed. "Do you think you're ready?"

Sakura didn't hesitate. "Yes."

Ino smiled and sat on the bed behind Sakura, pulling her into her arms. She turned to her Were form again and pressed her lips to Sakura's throat. "I'm going to begin now." Ino whispered.

Sakura nodded, and squashed her small fear. She felt Ino's canine's pierce her throat again, just as earlier, but this time, pain coursed through her. Her eye's widened but she gave no other hint towards her pain. It started at just her neck but slowly spread outwards. She felt all her blood rushing towards that point in her neck. Her vision swam and she thought she was going to pass out.

Then the pain intensified before dying out completely. Sakura wasn't sure what was going on. She couldn't feel a thing and she couldn't see any thing. Then she heard a faint voice in her head. "Sakura?"

"Yes? Ino?"

"I'm here, love. Don't be frightened." Ino's voice soothed Sakura.

And then suddenly Sakura could see. Everything was as clear as day. She looked back towards Ino, who was suddenly shorter than she was.

"You're in your Were form." Ino explained.

And just as suddenly as that clarity came, it left; leaving everything dull compared to before.

A few hours later and Sakura grasped how to change, a small pull at something in her mind and she was in the opposite form she was in. Ino had already explained, or shown Sakura the way a Were lives and the history, which Sakura quickly grasped.

Sakura shared her memories with Ino. All of them. Ino sharing hers in turn. At this moment, they were one entity, one mind, and one love.

Sakura soon decided to sleep, her eye's drooping with grogginess. It came quite easily in Ino's arms.

0o0o0

When Sakura woke, Ino was no longer behind her but curled up beside her. She glanced over to Ino's clock. 9:13pm. It had been a few hours over the required twenty-four. Sakura smiled, looking to Ino.

"Ino-chan…" The pink haired girl shook the aqua-eyed girl gently. Her eye's fluttered opened and she smiled.

"It's been twenty-four hours hasn't it?"

"Yeah." Sakura smiled, and when that look abruptly changed to something of a pained hungry look, Ino got worried.

Sakura doubled over, gripping her stomach. "This feeling…The bloodlust?"

"Yes. Come on. It won't hurt once you've fed for the first time. Here." Ino turned her wrist towards Sakura.

Sakura grabbed her arm and pulled it to her lips, already a werewolf. She bit down greedily on it and gathered the blood she needed. Ino pulled away as Sakura had taken most of the blood she had.

Sakura looked ashamed, a tendril of blood running down her chin. "I'm sorry."

Ino smiled. "It's fine."

"But-" Sakura protested, wiping the blood away hastily.

"It's _fine_." Ino emphasized.

Sakura looked down, sullenly. Suddenly Ino's eyes lit up. "My love, have you ever seen a wolf dance?"

"Of course not." Sakura said.

"Come then." Ino said, grabbing Sakura's wrist and dragging her to Ino's car. "There is so much I haven't shown you yet!" Ino cried, excited.

Sakura felt Ino's excitement invade her, quickly replacing the fears. They drove to a small, secluded area in the woods. It was dark and she could hardly see. She strained her green eyes as the trees flew pass trying to grasp where she was. Try as hard as she may, she couldn't figure it out. Then she could see a fire, snaking its way upward. Ino drove towards it and parked.

The entire pack was in attendance. It was the Night of Dance, just after a full moon. A dais had been set up near the edge of the clearing. At the moment, two young girls no older than seven, occupied it. They dipped and twirled with amazing fluidity.

Sakura stared in awe. She had never seen anything like it. It almost felt like it was calling to her, asking her to dance with them. She involuntarily took a step forward. Ino's hand on her shoulder stilled her. "You feel it; The pull. Wolves are meant to dance." Ino smiled doing a small graceful turn. "Tonight, we dance the dance of a bond, announcing you as my mate. And don't fret. It will come naturally. I myself have never seen nor performed it."

Those words made Sakura think about her mark. The one Ino bared to her. On impulse she reached up and ran a finger across it. In turn, that made her think. Did she have a mark? She pulled the edge of her shirt down her collarbone. Ino was watching as well. There on her collarbone lay a single Sakura petal, only a beautiful violet. "Why is it purple?"

"It is the color all alphas of Destati have worn, I assume it is because it was I who changed you."

"Ah."

Just then all was silenced as a smooth voice rang out over the grounds. "My pack. Tonight I shall perform." Tsunade spoke. "And after that…a surprise for you all." She smiled before stepping down from the dais she stood upon. "But first, I must speak with our heir."

Tsunade walked briskly to Ino, the crowd parting. Ino bowed, Sakura doing the same on instinct. "My Ino, I see you have chosen your mate, and not only that but look at this." Tsunade grabbed Sakura's hand, baring her wrist. Upon it lay the kanji of fate, and one above and the other below, the personal symbols of Ino and Sakura. One look at Ino's wrist showed the same symbol upon her own.

Sakura looked confused. "Ino, what is this?"

Ino was shocked, too shocked to speak, so Tsunade answered. "It's the mark of a pair bond. You were meant to be her mate. Did things seemed rushed to you, yet you still felt that unmistakable pull?"

Sakura nodded. Tsunade continued. "See?"

"Mm-Hm."

"Now, my dears, I shall dance, and you soon afterwards." The woman's liquid amber eye's softened, before she turned and took her leave towards the dais.

Ino smiled at Sakura; Sakura's eyes on Tsunade. The large-breasted woman stood facing the crowd, her back arched, her arms above her head crossed at the wrist.

Slowly, she began to move about, almost as if liquid. Everybody's eyes were on her. Ino glanced down at the pink-haired girl, noticing her fidgeting. "You want to dance?" The blonde murmured.

When Sakura nodded, chewing her lip, Ino answered. "Soon, Sakura. I promise."

The two watched, entranced at the dips and twirls, how it all looked so surreal. The music pounded through their bodies, begging them to dance. All to soon, the music died down and Tsunade stopped.

She lifted her amber gaze towards the audience. Without missing a beat she smirked. "And now, my pack, your alpha to be will be dancing the Shika-Ri-Ahnleh, the bonding dance of the wolf, with her mate, and pair bond; A newly born wolf, Sakura Haruno."

Some gasps emitted from the crowd, and much murmuring began. Tsunade quieted them down again and glanced to the side and smiled. "Without further ado, Ino Yamanaka, and Sakura Haruno." She bowed deeply, shuffling to the side.

The pack then bowed, some of the younger children peeking up at them in awe. Ino smiled down at the three small children in front of her. Their small eyes widened and the looked down, giggling to each other.

Ino turned to Sakura and did the same. They poised, facing each other; Hand to hand, forehead to forehead, body to body. The slow beat of the drums pulsed through their body. Slowly they began to move. Twisting, turning, and weaving, around and against each other.

Every one could feel the spark between the two, as silent magic filled the air. A burning intensity. Everyone could feel it…in the core of their very beings.

When they finished, they were hardly labored in breathing. Sakura's eyes were alight with passion as she felt the magic rush through her veins, pulsing through her very soul. It made her feel alive.

Hand in hand, they turned to the crowd. They were now officially recognized by the pack as mates.


	7. Chapter 7

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Seven: The Battle of the Pack

Sakura turned to Ino, an apron wrapped around her waist. "Neh, Ino-chan, how much fertilizer?"

A few months had passed since the Night of Dance. Sakura had taken up a job at the Yamanaka Flower Shop. She and Shikamaru had started getting along as soon as he didn't hold a grudge against her. The Sound pack hadn't been heard from thought they were constantly on high alert. Several extra patrols were sent each shift nowadays.

"Ehh, just a handful." Ino answered, tending to her own plants.

A few hours later had the two walking out of the shop. "Ino, how about we head down to the park today, and feed the ducks?" She held up a small back of popped popcorn, a lopsided smile on her face.

Ino shrugged. "Why not?"

The two headed down a few blocks to the local park. It was near a bay. Small children were running through the ducks making them fly away and flock in a different spot. Some older children were playing on the jungle gym and swings. All the parents were around the edge mingling with each other and keeping a watchful eye on their children.

Ino and Sakura walked closer to the water, Sakura grabbing a small handful of popcorn and throwing it in front of them. Just moments later a lone duck waddled over to the popcorn while the other ducks watched it warily. It picked up a piece of popcorn in its bill and ate it happily. It gave a small quack and the rest of the flock made it's way closer and began picking at the popcorn.

Suddenly something caught Ino's eye. She fell to her knees and gave the bag of popcorn to a child, directing the boy into feeding the ducks. His small grey eye's lit up and he began throwing handfuls of it out, delightedly squealing as the ducks flocked near him.

Ino grabbed Sakura's wrist and pulled her to a few lone ducks that had not followed the flock. She pulled a few pieces of popcorn from her jacket pocket and threw it down. The ducks came waddling over, hungry.

"Do you notice anything of them?" Ino asked.

Sakura looked to them, but shook her head puzzled. "No, should I?"

"Look closer, the ducks that aren't colored are female and the brightly colored ducks are male…think about that."

Sakura looked again and noticed that each duck was staying near a duck of the same color. "Well, the females seem to stay with the females and the males with the males."

"Yes, that's correct. Now why do you think their own flock would shun them for doing that?"

Sakura thought a moment, then answered sadly, a dry humour lacing her voice. "A homosexual duck?"

Ino gave a dry laugh. "Correct, love. Now think about this; If it happens in nature, what makes who you are so unnatural? It's unusual, yes. But not unnatural."

Sakura thought on that a moment. Her and Ino the other day had been at Ino's apartment and Sakura had confided in her, her fears. But in this sense, this knowledge she had learned, it placated them. Sakura smiled again and chastely kissed Ino. "You always know how to help me, love."

Ino smiled. "Let's go home, Sakura. I'm getting cold."

Sakura nodded her ascent. The two took a short-cut home through an alley. Along the way they passed a stranger. As soon as she stepped one foot passed the stranger, she froze and whirled around, Sakura just a moment later. The stranger had whirled around as well. They were all crouched, their teeth bared.

Ino side stepped to the left and the black-haired man followed it. Suddenly, another man was standing there, crouching. Ino growled. "Who are you?"

The man pulled down the collar of his shirt. "Sai Baiken of the Destati pack."

Wary puzzlement filled the blonde's eyes. "You don't smell of the Destati pack."

The dark haired man gave a dry chuckle. He reached into his coat and produced a bottle. "It's a cologne. I do a lot of undercover. Now, who are you?"

"Ino Yamanaka, Destati pack." Ino pulled her collar down, showing her mark.

The man's eye's widened marginally and he loosened his aggressive stance. "Ms. Yamanaka, I see. Oh, and who are you? I've not seen you before. I'd remember an ugly brat like you."

"Sakura Haruno of Destati." She said, baring her mark, growling at him.

Ino lunged for him and grabbed him by the throat, squeezing his windpipe. "My mate and pair bond. I'll trust that when I release you, you will apologize sincerely." Ino growled loudly in warning. She let go of his throat.

He chuckled again. "My sincerest apologies. I'll be off then."

He and the man next to him turned and began walking again. Ino growled. "I don't trust him."

"Should we speak to Tsunade-sama?"

"Yes, I think so." Ino said. She glanced around and shifted to her Werewolf form, Sakura doing the same. Discreetly they jumped to the roofs and sprinted, jumping building to building. In just minutes the arrived at Tsunade's, a lavish three-story mansion on the outskirts of town.

In front of the door, they knocked. A small brown-haired woman opened. "Shizune, we must speak with Tsunade-sama." Ino bowed.

"Of course Ino-chan." Shizune's brow furrowed in worry. She led them down the hall to the office of their alpha.

The two walked in and bowed. Ino stood quickly. "Tsunade-sama, who is Sai Baiken."

"Mm, I see you've met our newest member. He was part of Sound but has defected to Leaf. He will be assisting on patrolling. As you have informed me, we are at war with Sound." Tsunade took her time speaking, dragging her words out.

"Yes, Kabuto Yakushi, the beta of the Sound pack was caught twice on our property. Once in my room, and another time for an attempted abduction of my mate."

"Mm, serious charges those are. Definitely enough to start a war…And I heard they had been moving in small groups closer and closer. On that note it brings me to this…" Tsunade paused a moment. "Tomorrow Ino…I am stepping down as alpha." She held up her hand to silence the protests she knew were coming. "Sadly, I cannot fight against Orochimaru. I just can't. Not after…"

Ino sighed, her heart beating a mile-a-minute. She knew. She knew that the two had loved each other. But before anything _really_ happened between them, Orochimaru left, seeking more power. But now she had Jiraiya.

The amber-eyed woman took a deep breath. "You and Sakura will be announced as alpha's at an emergency meeting. I know it's drastic, and selfish…I just…" She sighed, locking eyes with each of them.

"Forgive me…" Were her parting words.

0o0o0

Ino sighed as she lounged on the couch. She'd had a long conversation with her mother about Tsunade's words, and the responsibility that was being placed on Ino. Sakura was down the hall taking a shower. She just heard the shower head squeak to life. Ino sighed for what seemed the hundredth time that night.

_There's so much going on right now…I had not expected to be pronounced alpha in such turmoil. I _know_ I've finished my training but still…Am I ready?_

Her thoughts were cut off by a knock on the door. She got up and opened the door. There stood Asuma, Kurenai, Kakashi, and Iruka. All her teachers. "May we come in?" Kakashi asked, his one visible eye curving. The other eye was covered by a piece of cloth that had a plate of metal over it, proudly showing off the Destati sigil. Anyone who didn't know just thought it was the symbol of the most popular club in town.

"Of course. Make yourselves at home. I'll be right back." She said as the all made their way to the living room.

Ino turned down the hallway and walked to the bathroom. She opened the door and clouds of steam escaped. She slid in and shut the door. "Sakura?"

"Yes, love?" The pink haired girl shut the shower off.

"We have guests."

"Who?" Sakura asked stepping out of the shower.

"Our teachers." She replied.

The blonde had a towel held out in her hands. Sakura turned her back to Ino so she could wrap the towel around her. Afterwards Ino kept her arms wrapped around Sakura. Sakura leaned her head back on Ino's shoulder. Ino leaned down and pressed her lips to Sakura's. She drew the kiss out as long as she could. "Be out soon, Sakura-chan."

She left the bathroom and walked out to the living room. Her guests looked her way. "So what were you up to?" Kakashi asked, curious as always.

"Telling my mate, who was in the shower, that we have guests." Ino answered.

"You were back there an awfully long time…" Kakashi hinted trying to get details.

Iruka blushed for his co-worker. "Kakashi-san!" He chastised.

"So who is your mate?" Kakashi asked, unfazed.

A voice came from the direction of the hallway. "Me." The green-eyed girl grinned.

"Sakura-san?!" Iruka asked, bewildered.

"Yup. Pair bonds as well." She said showing her wrist.

Now everyone's eye's widened. "Pair bonds. Really?" Kurenai's voice was laced with surprise.

Ino nodded. "Yup."

"That's pretty rare, Ino. You're quite lucky." Asuma added his two cents.

"Yeah, I know." Ino smiled fondly as Sakura sat next to her on the couch.

"So, what brought you guys here?"

"Support." They answered.

"What for?" Ino asked.

"Well…I heard you were being announced as alpha tomorrow…" Iruka answered, blushing.

Ino sobered. "Yeah…"

Now Kakashi was grinning. "We didn't know you were mated though. Goodness, Ino-chan, you never tell us anything! How long has it been?"

"Neh…a few months."

"A few months!?" They all spluttered.

"That would be what I said, right love?" Ino feigned innocence.

"YupYup." Sakura chimed in.

A crash then resounded, cutting off all other replies. It had come from Sakura and Ino's room. They sprinted down the hallway and into the room. There once again was Kabuto and several of their higher ranks. In skill, they were matched.

Kabuto smirked. "How nice to see you all again." He lied.

On Ino's mark they all shifted. Each Were in that room had gained the highest rank just below alpha. They fanned out into an equally offensive and defensive position.

"What are you doing here?" Ino asked as she crouched low and bared her teeth. She was at the head of the formation as was Kabuto on their side.

"Just a little spy work. Honestly, you guys have really weakened, I've slipped past patrol several times now." He waved his hand nonchalantly, just barely in an offensive crouch.

Then at once, all hell broke loose. Several more Sound Were's came into the room. They rushed the Konoha Were's and then it had everyone locked in a hand to hand combat. Ino was easily holding her own against Kabuto. Kakashi and Asuma were backing up Iruka and Kurenai with several of the mid-rank Were's. But Sakura was having trouble against one of the Were's working directly under Kabuto.

Ino growled when she glanced in her mate's direction. She looked back to Kabuto, who was locked hand to hand with her. She let out a predatory roar and twisted Kabuto's arms and threw him against a wall.

Sakura blinked when blonde hair filled her vision and she heard a thud. Ino stood before her. She smiled brushed a hand along her back, whispering thanks in Ino's mind. She turned to an opponent facing the small group of teachers and delivered a swift, strong punch.

Ino let out a gasp as claws tore through the fabric of her shirt and sliced open her back. She whipped around, dropping low and sweep kicking Kabuto's feet out from under him. He elegantly performed a back flip and landed on his feet. _So much like a cat_, Ino thought with bitter distaste.

She ran forward and slammed the heel of her palm into his chest and used his off balanced state to knock him the rest of the way by following up with her other palm and striking his abdomen. She'd learned that trick from sparring with Neji Hyuuga who's main fighting style was open palm.

As he fell to the floor she dipped and grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. His hands flew to her wrist to try and get rid of the obstacle stopping the flow of air in his system. Her hand did not budge. "What are you doing here."

Despite his predicament, Kabuto smirked. "I already told you, a bit of spy work."

Ino squeezed tighter, hearing the sounds of battle slow behind her. It sounded like her pack won. "Spying on whom?"

That smirk grew to a full out grin. "You, the soon-to-be alpha of the pack. Tomorrow's your inauguration if I'm correct."

Ino growled in frustrated anger, crushed his windpipe and threw him to the side. His back shook the wall upon collision. He scrambled up, clutching his throat and transported his men out of the room. That made Ino smirk. That was dangerous, flashing all those people out, not able to breath, and still hoping for energy left to heal his little breathing problem.

She turned and assessed her pack's injuries. Iruka was limping, and Kakashi's shoulder was bleeding profusely. Asuma and Kurenai looked a bit scratched up, but none the worse for ware. Sakura wasn't even scratched, though she looked guilty about it. Ino rolled her shoulders, the wounds on her left shoulder blade descending to her right hip, screaming in protest. She shifted back, and the rest followed suit.

"Did you find his reason for being here?" Kakashi asked, being an ex-ANBU, an assassin Were for Konoha, he was completely somber at the moment.

"Dammit! He was scouting stats on me!" Ino ground out between clenched teeth.

"Ino-san it couldn't-" Iruka was cut off as two people flashed into the room. Ino braced for an attack.

"Ino-chan! Sakura-chan! Are you guys all right?!" Naruto's voice protruded from the cloud of smoke that had risen due to the shift in energy. He stood, a frown planted on his face, his blue eyes worried.

"We came here as soon as we could, we were out of range, hunting." Sasuke added in.

"What happened?" Naruto asked.

A strange thought popped into Ino's head, and so to lighten the mood, she asked it. "…Can you read each other's minds, even when you aren't in Werewolf form?"

Naruto gave her a strange look, and then whined. "Ino-chan!"

"Yes?"

"What happened?"

The blonde haired girl sighed. "Kabuto and some of the Sound pack were spying on me, picking up stats."

Sasuke spoke up after a moment of silence. "Well, in your room they're bound to find hardly anything."

"True."

"Should we report this to Tsunade-sensei?" Sakura asked, concerned for her mate's well fare.

"No, no as you all know, I'm sure, she's giving up alpha tomorrow. I don't see the need to worry her further than she is." Ino smiled trying to reassure the Were's; _her_ Were's really.

"Understandable." Kurenai added, her voice soft, in contrast to her sharp crimson eyes.

"Yeah," Ino said, looking at each and every Werewolf in the room, her gaze then slid to the newly waxing moon. "Now to deal with this mess."

AN: Okay, to explain something that's been brought to my attention, Ino grabs everyone's throat because that is the easiest way to disable a Were. Definitely not kill them, but disable them; They heal fast.

Also, I've got two side fics in the process of being written so keep an eye out for them! D


	8. Chapter 8

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Eight: The Alpha of the Pack

Ino sighed as she stood behind the dais, a curtain separating her from the view of the pack. Her and Sakura's inauguration ceremony was in a matter of minutes. The blonde glanced back to the pink-haired girl. Sakura was pulling on the strings of the obi wrapped around the old fashioned yukata she was wearing. Ino could hear the pack talking amiably about each other. She looked down at the old uniform she was wearing. She sighed, then turned to Sakura. "Sakura-chan, are you ready?"

"Yeah. I'm scared though." Sakura said, walking up and pressing her hands and face to Ino's chest just above her breasts.

Ino smiled and wrapped her arms around the petite Sakura. She pressed her face to pink locks and inhaled deeply, running a hand through them. "It'll be alright. I'll be with you every step of the way." She murmured softly.

Then the two heard Tsunade's voice, calling them to the stage. "I now step aside as Pack alpha, for Ino Yamanaka, as your alpha, and her pair bond."

Ino took Sakura's hand, threading her fingers' with the others and walking to the stage. The crowds eye's were riveted to the three figures on stage. Tsunade stood off to the side, waiting for the two to take center stage.

"Now," The naturally amber-eyed woman's voice echoed all throughout the clearing, "I present to you Ino Yamanaka, and her pair bond, Sakura Haruno."

The crowd cheered loudly, some of their friends up front. Ino stepped up. "My pack, I solemnly swear to protect and defend you with my life. You all mean a lot to me, and, as I'm sure you know, I will lead us to the new generation. I also will fight this war with Sound to the best of my ability. With my pair bond by my side, I rightfully take up my place, as Alpha of the Destati Pack."

The crowd cheered as Ino and Sakura stepped forward bowing deeply, the pack following suit.

0o0o0

The next day, Sakura was tending to hers and Ino's plants because the blonde was at an alpha meeting with the elders. She sighed as she finished walking to the front of the store. She sat behind the counter on the stool. A while later of watching the dust float around, a customer walked in.

The stranger gave Sakura a look that one would give a cheap whore. It made her shiver, wishing she'd been left to her dust watching alone. The stranger quickly sought out a black rose and presented it to the pink haired girl.

Sakura rang it up and asked for the money. The man paid for it and then picked up the delicate black flower. He grinned suddenly, holding the flower aloft towards Sakura. "A flower for the lady?"

"Sorry sir, I'm not interested." The green eyed girl stated rather blatantly.

"Oh, really now? I'm sure I could convince you otherwise." The man said running a hand down her cheek.

Sakura hit it away replying coldly. "Not interested."

The man grabbed Sakura's forearm forcefully and wrenched her forward. "Look here now, I'll pay you."

Sakura jerked her arm backwards trying to free herself of the grip. "No. Unhand me or there will be consequences."

"Oho, what could a little thing like you do to me?" The man grinned wider, licking his lips.

Sakura growled, nervous. She was sure she couldn't take a full-grown man without her powers as a Were. Sakura pulled again at the grip only to be slammed against the wall and pinned with the man's body pressing hers to it. She protested loudly, pushing against the man's chest.

Suddenly the man went flying backwards, landing hard on the floor. Standing there was Shikamaru who had adopted an angered look, his eyes briefly flashing amber. "Just what do you think you're doing sir?"

"Entertaining a pretty lady." He stood and walked to Shikamaru. Both were equal in height and Shikamaru's normally laid back eyes were fierce.

"I'm quite sure that pretty lady isn't interested." Shikamaru stated dryly, muttering something about how troublesome the current situation was.

"Perhaps. I'll be taking my leave." He said, walking out the door and to his car.

Shikamaru turned to Sakura. "Are you alright?"

She rubbed her wrist that was sure to be bruised. "I am now. Thank you, Shikamaru."

"It wasn't much of a problem."

"If you say so," Suddenly Sakura's demeanor brightened. "Ino will be back soon."

"Is the meeting over already? That was short."

"Was it? It felt like a while to me."

Shikamaru smirked. "Understandable."

"I guess."

The two parted ways in companionable silence, Shikamaru to the back of the store and Sakura to lean against the counter.

A few minutes later Ino sauntered into the room her shoulders tense. She immediately looked Sakura over, gently grabbing the bruised arm. "Are you alright? Shikamaru told me what happened."

"I'm fine, Ino. How'd the meeting go?" Sakura leaned against the counter as Ino let go.

"It went fairly well. But, we'll be taking a trip soon."

"A trip where?"

"To the town of Tea. There's a civil war and we are there to aid the village of Tea from the village of Rice who are allied with Sound."

"Mm, doesn't sound like it went well then."

"Not particularly, but there have been worse."

"When are we leaving, dearheart?"

"Mm, just as soon as we're ready."

"That soon, really?" Sakura asked her eye's widening in surprise.

"Apparently we weren't called in until the very last moment."

0o0o0o0

It was just nearing nightfall as Ino, Sakura, and Kakashi Hatake ran through the trees, aiming to reach the village of Tea hours before twilight. They'd packed field provisions and clothes, and an advanced med kit.

By the time they reached the village it was only a few hours later than when they had left, sooner than they had anticipated. They stood at the outskirts of the ravished city. They could feel the remnants of long used magic lurking everywhere. Were's and humans both, lied in the street dead or dying.

Ino quickly took charge, ordering Sakura to take care of the wounded. The two women, whom each had medical training tended to them while Kakashi, a former ANBU member scouted the area for potential threats and the alpha of Tea.

The blonde and her lover set up a makeshift hospital in the middle of a flat clearing with little rubble. They'd carried the wounded into the hospital and taken care of the critically wounded first.

As Ino brought in a wounded Sound Were, Sakura was tending to a Tea civilian. When she finally realized whom Ino had brought in she grew angry with her pair bound.

"Ino, why have you brought a Sound Were in here?" Sakura questioned almost harshly.

"Why not?" Ino demanded.

"He's of Sound."

"So?"

"They are…" Sakura paused struggling for words. "They've caused so much harm. They've fallen from grace."

"We've all fallen from grace, Sakura. We're all murderers. They have lives, too. They have loves, families, and friends. We kill them. So what makes them so different?" Ino asked sternly, still tending to the Were.

"They…they're evil, bad."

"Evil, bad? Do you know why they strive for the goals they do? Good and evil are just points of view. We all have ambitions, and almost always someone looks like the bad guy."

"I suppose so…" Sakura admitted reluctantly, looking at the unconscious Were beside her.

"Also, we must hurt these people. We must torture them for information. We are just as bad as they are. We should heal them but keep them sedated as they won't attack."

"Again…I suppose you're right."

After a few moments of awkward silence, Sakura spoke again. "You really do make a good alpha. You see points from both points of view, you come up with strategies quickly, and you almost always come out successful."

"Mm, perhaps." Ino chuckled.

It was then that Kakashi returned, a young man behind him. Kakashi bowed as he faced Ino and Sakura. "This is Ino and Sakura, our alpha's."

The other man bowed respectfully. "You are both so young yet attain such a rank. It's rather astounding." He chuckled. "Oh, excuse my manners I'm not myself today. I'm Airen Nataku."

"Understandable, Airen." Ino said amiably.

"I'll explain our situation in a few moments when my lifebonded arrives."

Ino acknowledged the statement and then turned to Sakura. "Is it just me or are there a lot of lifebond's lately?"

"I agree. Maybe it has to do with the small energy storms Waterfall has been having? They're so new to us that we know nothing of their potential." Sakura suggested, turning herself to the next patient lying on a makeshift cot.

"That could be, but Sasuke and Naruto, Tsunade and Jaraiya, and You and I all lifebonded before the storms. After that three more pairs from just our pack alone turned up."

Sakura shrugged. "We should probably check that out later."

It was then that a male Were of Tea appeared in the room holding a profusely bleeding wound. Ino watches silently as the Tea alpha fretted over the young man. She reached out and pulled him to sit before her before she rested her hands over the wound, slowly threading the flesh back together.

"This," Airen gestured, "is my lifebound, Ren Syren."

"Ren, I'm Ino and this is Sakura. We've been sent from Konoha to assist you."

"I know."

Sakura turned to the silver haired Airen as Sakura finished dressing the blonde man's wound. "Could you brief us on casualties and ongoing fighting? We can send Kakashi, a former ANBU member out on the field along with myself or Ino depending on how many are critically wounded."

"Well, there have been few casualties but there are many wounded badly. We're stationed in a building that's one of the few left standing. We're fighting in what used to be a park."

"Kakashi and I will go then. Ino's a better healer than I am, so she should stay and help the wounded. Don't worry. We'll have this place under our control soon."

The man nodded gratefully, his weary gray eyes closing in relief and exhaustion.

Sakura nodded to Kakashi and the two flashed out of the area to the building they felt the allies' magic in. They were directed towards the next unit going into battle and joined them just as they were leaving.

They reached the battlefield along with seven others in just moments. Blades were clashing, magic was being traded, and many were in hand-to-hand combat, to weary to hold a blade or cast magic.

Sakura joined the nearest skirmish as Kakashi disappeared in the carnage. She stepped before a Tea Were and grabbed the fist of the enemy Were. The next fist came without warning and she jumped backwards to avoid it. The Sound Were rushed her drawing a blade and sending an ice magic towards her in the same moment. She neutralized it with a fire spell and drew her own blade to lock with the other.

She was being driven backwards when she chanced dropping on hand from her blade to concentrate magic and try to mortally wound the other with surgical precision. She managed to nick his side making him withdraw.

The pink haired girl went on the offensive, sheathing her blade and attacking with a Healer's devastation. She leaned down, punching the ground. It cracked and made the other jump into the air. The Were came down near her. She turned, only to have a blade press to her throat. She growled and sent a lightning magic towards him making him retreat again.

She flashed behind her nameless opponent and quickly took him out with a dagger.

She moved on to the next person, hoping to be done by nightfall tomorrow.


	9. Chapter 9

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Nine: The Healer of the Pack

AN:-_**Important Authoress' Note**_- So, chapter nine is done. Wow, I really can't believe I've made it this far. I'm so excited. Also, I've got a sequel in progress titled "Book of Revolution" set a few years in the near future. It'll still be centered around Ino and Sakura, but new things have sprung up…dun dun dun. Haha, that's all I've got at the moment.

Also, I'm doing a side fic where you people get to ask your favorite "The Pack" characters questions! –insert collective gasp- Haha, yeah, it can be anyone because I've got backgrounds for every character whether they've been included in the story at the moment or not. I've changed some people's backgrounds a bit like Sasuke and Itachi and Shisui's. That's not all of them though.

So drop me a question or two in a review or PM.

One more thing, I will do a request fic for the first three people who drop a question. Hopefully, that's motivation to ask something. :D

Also, I'm very tired of people telling me to stop copying Blood and Chocolate. If you actually read this story, mine differs greatly from Blood and Chocolate. I used said movie as a muse for chapter two but everything else storyline wise is mine.

0o0o0o0

Sakura dragged her exhausted body back to the medical tent, pulling off her leather gloves for a pair of latex gloves. Her mind was protesting at having to be worked beyond it's limits but she pushed herself anyway. Over the past few days she'd actually been spending a lot of time in the medical tent, which was both a bad and good thing; Bad because it meant there was a high level of fighting, good because it meant that there were less injured.

Sakura had also been learning quite a bit more in the medical field that accented her crash course in medicine and surgery. Ino had said that she was of a higher Healing level than the blonde herself was which made Sakura very proud.

Also taking it's toll on her body was having to be in Werewolf form so much. This was the longest she'd ever been in that form and it was so new to her that she overworked her body. All three from Konoha had not left Were form since before they had even arrived, days earlier.

She moved to the next cot, pushing the curtain that separated the patients from the outside world aside. In the cot lay a Were of Tea, just arrived from the battlefield. A less wounded someone brought her in. Sakura had had the people who weren't badly injured but still "bedridden" get the injured were they needed to go. This woman had a large burn on her leg and a gash on her shoulder blade.

Sakura lay her hands over the wound on her back first since she needed the woman to lie on her back to treat the burn on her shin. Sakura explained and directed her to do so. Her hands and the wound glowed green as she worked to speed the regeneration process of the cells. She also sent white blood cells to attack the infected or potentially infected areas.

After she finished closing the gash so that all that was left was a faint peach line that was hardly noticeable against the woman's' tanned skin, she moved down to the burn. This, she warned the woman, was going to be painful. She had to burn the burnt flesh away and then graft skin into place. The burning of the burnt flesh was exactly as it had been receiving it only Sakura used more precision, carefulness not to harm the healthy skin.

She left the tent, updating the sheet of paper next to the woman and going to the front of the tent to see it there were any other patients, after she had finished with the woman's burn. A Tea civilian pointed her in the direction of another curtain. It had surprised her when she saw that most of the civilian, meaning human, population of Tea had known about the existence of Werewolves for a long time. That was what made the differences between each pack. Some told the humans and the humans chose sides where others kept their existence secret.

She pushed aside another curtain only to come face to face with a terrible looking Ren Syren. He had burns over half of his face, quite a few large cuts and a few frozen fingers. Ino sighed as she dredged up more energy and began to work on him.

After she had patched Ren up, she ordered him to stay and rest for a bit. She went back to the front being redirected. Then she was faced with her own lover who hadn't been in here as a patient once since they had arrived. Ino, to Sakura, looked more irritated than wounded. She chuckled half-heartedly. "Finally run out of energy?"

All she received is a grunt in reply. "Well, let me finish up here and you can take over here for me. What's our status at this point?"

"We've almost driven the enemy out, in fact I believe they've been ordered to retreat but a Company or two has been left behind, of different Regiments as far as I can tell."

"Alright, I'll head out now and see if I can't organize some people and launch an attack."

Ino nodded gratefully as Sakura disappeared. She heaved a weary sigh, laying back on the cot, closing her eyes and resting an arm over them. It looked dark out when Airen stood before her, smiling brightly. "They've been driven out."

She sat up. "Really? It's over?"

Airen nodded. "As far as I can tell. Sakura led an attack against the remaining, and then she came her and healed what was left of the wounded. We've also…pried the Sound Were's for information and turned up with something…"

Ino turned complete attention to him. "What have you found?"

"Sound is planning on launching a full-scale war on Leaf…" He paused.

"When?" Ino asked, speaking harsher than she had intended.

Airen paused before answering. "Their first attack was executed naught but a few hours ago."

Ino's eyes widened and she flew from her cot, cursing colorfully. She quickly switched to Were form explaining the situation to Sakura and Kakashi who then met her outside the village, all three running as fast as there battle-weary bodies would carry them.

"It was a distraction! Tea was a fucking distraction! They knew we were allied and would help. That was why it was so easy. Fuck! Why didn't I notice sooner! It all makes fucking sense!" Ino spat, leaping from branch to branch.

"Ino, you can't be everywhere at once." Kakashi reminded.

"I should have been with my pack, Kakashi! We are of the High class Were's. _I'm_ alpha! Most other High classes are away, too. Shit!" Ino stopped suddenly dropping into the forest.

"I took up the responsibilities of an alpha, too." The pink-haired girl reminded, sternly, glaring.

The blonde ignored it. She took out a knife, cutting her thumb. She built a seal on the ground in blood and then rested her palms against, placing herself in a trance. This seal would project her thoughts farther and through any shields the enemy had up. She then projected speech to her entire pack. :We're coming, Konoha! All Werewolves, whether or not your on a mission, this is an order; Get back to Konoha! Sound has declared war. I repeat, get back to Konoha!" She pulled herself out of the trance, jumping up and running, Sakura and Kakashi following obediently.

0o0o0o0

They arrived at the outskirts of Konoha by daybreak. They had seen the billows of smoke rising from the town before they'd even been within normal mind-speaking distance. Ino growled deep in her chest upon seeing it, and pushed Sakura and Kakashi faster.

They ran straight into town, taking out two Sound Were's right at the edge of the city limits. They moved silently, taking out as many Were's as she could. A mind-speaking magic had been cast preventing any mind-speaking. It was a disadvantage and an advantage. They couldn't speak with each other, but neither could Sound.

They reached a building they felt the larger portion of Leaf Were's in. Kakashi had gone ahead and scouted it, and confirmed that it was their building of operations. From the looks of things, he'd said, there were a hell of a lot of civilians there as well.

They entered the building, watching as relief crossed every Were's face, fear, anger, and shock across the human's. She quickly directed the unwounded to critical parts of the town.

"Regiment Four, Six and Eight, the South end. Nine and Twelve, the North, I'll go with the Fifth Regiment to the East, and Sakura will go with the Second to the West. The rest of you help civilians get to safety, set up a medical tent and then a rations tent, also try and clear out the enemy from the city, and we'll hold them off at the edges. Alright, scatter!" She yelled, her voice echoing.

She took to the East without a pause, knowing that the Fifth Regiment would be following shortly. She and the regiment took out as many enemy Were's as possible, some stopping to complete their fights.

She reached the edge of the wall, trusting the one's she left behind to get Sound out of the city. It wasn't long before a group of ANBU showed up, asking her what they should do. She directed them to various parts of the inner city.

Several more ANBU groups had come through, when she spotted one's who were trying desperately to get her attention. She took out the Were she was fighting as quickly as her body would let her. "What's the matter?"

"Orochimaru has been found in the city." An older more seasoned ANBU said grimly.

She snarled viciously. "For what?"

"For Sasuke. He's the last of his bloodline."

She snarled again, and took off towards the scent that the ANBU had given her. It was right in the center, just blocks from her headquarters. She walked in carefully. There were no Were's gaurding him. Many, though, of her own slain Were's littered the floor.

She grimaced as she looked upon them. From the looks of the bodies, they hadn't died very peacefully. She hated Orochimaru and his affinity of torturing things. She should have killed him back before any of this happened. He always was peculiar.

Her head snapped up as she felt a power envelop her and try to overwhelm her. She scowled as he could feel the slimy aura of Orochimaru slither around her, trying to intimidate her. He couldn't feel the extent of her power for she kept it locked away as best she could.

_Arrogant as ever,_ Ino thought, _Fine, we'll play his way._

She let her tight grip on her power slip a little, sending it towards him full blast. He pressed back against hers with his own. Ino growled again, and reigned her aura back in, following Orochimaru's. She quickly found her way to him through the large warehouse. He was standing, grinning maliciously over the prone form of Sasuke Uchiha.

She growled and ran at him at a run, lunging downwards, only to be kneed in the chest and sent flying backwards. She growled and got up again, walking to stand before her opponent. He shifted to the side, and she accommodated for that change.

She slipped backwards and took out a kodachi as Orochimaru let out a hissing laugh before he himself slipped a blade out of his mouth. Ino shivered as he sent an assessing look over her. She hoped he wouldn't figure out she'd only had three months of sword training.

As he lashed at her with his katana, Ino sidestepped pulling her limbs tight to her body to make herself a smaller target. She dropped to the floor as another arc swung at her, rolling herself away.

She soon realized that if she was going to win, she had to get the sword away from Orochimaru. Then she realized he had an almost infinite amount, for he could condense his magic into a blade, thus how he pulled them from his body. Orochimaru was also a master swordsman.

_It's not about how strong you _are, Ino's mind drifted back to something Tsunade told her one day, _it's about how strong your opponent _thinks _you are._

Ino's made sure that her power read to be that of a Middle Were. She kept dodging his attacks, and parrying them as best she could. She got cut a few times when she wasn't careful enough.

Ino hissed as she failed to fully parry an attack and the blade sliced through her upper shoulder. One thing they failed to tell you when training you was how much even the smallest cut _hurt_.

As Orochimaru hit her yet again, she felt another searing pain in her other arm, though only in the area of a pinprick. She looked over to see a senbon embedded in her left arm. Her vision wavered as a pain coursed through her entire body. She stumbled over something on the ground and quickly realized she'd been hit with a sedative.

It was too late. Ino's vision blacked out, but not before she heard the door slam open, and then two arms around her carrying her away.

0o0o0o0

Sakura pushed her exhausted body faster towards the building that she felt Orochimaru and Ino fighting in. She'd gathered a group of High level Were's. Behind her were Kakashi, Itachi, Shisui, and Tsunade.

They arrived at the building as quickly as they could. Sakura's blood ran cold as she saw the Konoha Were's on the floor, stopping to see who was alive or not. Most were dead, but those who grasped to life bitterly, she healed to the point they were stabled and hoped that the other's thought to grab medics because, she belatedly realized and hater herself for, she forgot to grab any other than herself and Tsunade. She knew that Kakashi, Itachi, and Shisui had a crash course in medicine but nothing of value at the moment.

She shook her head and motioned the team to follow her. She threw open the doors, and watched in horror as Orochimaru fled the building with Ino in his arms. They all stood there shocked. Their alpha had been kidnapped.

Sakura shook her head of the terror and forced her body after Orochimaru, but as soon as she got out the window he'd fled from his scent was gone and he was no where in sight. She turned back around and looked into the eye's of the small team, and shook her head.

"Our alpha has been kidnapped, Orochimaru and the Sound pack have left." Sakura reported.

"Well, Sakura, that leaves you to lead us. You have to put Konoha back together again, both as our alpha, and as our strongest medic." Itachi said, closing his amber eyes.

0o0o0o0

AN: Yeah, have you people figured out yet that I have something against writing het? I really do… Huh, sorry, I just realized that. Lol

Now click the lovely purple button at the bottom of the screen and _maybe_ Ino will live….Just kidding. _I_ don't even know what's gonna happen yet….O.O;

I am decreeing that no one gets a chapter until _I_ get six reviews for this chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Ten: The Despair of the Pack

Ino woke up and hissed, as her shoulder felt like it was on fire. She glanced around the filthy room she was currently lying on. She couldn't see anything, even in her Were form, of which she could only hold for mere seconds.

She sighed and crawled up against a wall and braced herself. She used her left arm and pushed her right shoulder back into place, crying out as she did so. She tried not to move her shoulder, knowing she could damage it further in doing so.

She was clothed in a long cotton shirt and an undergarment. It was scratchy against her skin. Her long blonde hair had been cut to her shoulders. She leaned back against the wall despite the obvious griminess of it.

She looked around the room as best she could. It was a sort of cell. The room itself smelled of blood, feces, and something she was fairly sure was a decomposing body. She grimaced. She tried getting up and walking, but had a hard time doing so. She'd been drugged, and poisoned it seemed. She couldn't use her Werewolf form, and her body itself felt heavy, sluggish.

She lay back and closed her eyes, trying to hear anything. All she could hear was the steady drip of water somewhere near her. She couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from as it reverberated off the walls.

She counted them. One, two, three, four, five…She kept counting and counting. That was all she occupied her mind with. She was in the thousands when someone opened a door and threw something in, quickly closing her only light source. She crawled to where she had thought the object had been thrown. He hands touched something hard, something, she thought, that used to be bread.

She didn't eat it though, for fear of it being poisoned. She went back to counting. She decided to time it, see how many drips per minute, that way, she could perhaps keep time. One drip per second, sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes an hour. That came out to be…3600 drips per hour.

She just lay there, ignoring her shoulder, and counted the drips. By her estimation, it was an hour and a half before she was greeted by the presence of her captors again. She was grabbed by the collar of her shirt and hauled to her feet, then forced to walk forward. Her body was too weary for her to put up a fight.

She was led to another room…away (She couldn't tell how far away in her state of mind) from her cell. She was brought before a metal table before someone forced her to lie upon it. The cold metal seared against her overheated skin. Someone strapped her to the table, the leather bindings digging into her wrists, and ankles.

Kabuto Yakushi walked into the room a small bag with him. The silver haired man smirked. "Ino Yamanaka, a pleasure as always."

Her mouth wasn't working so she glared. Kabuto pulled a metal cart towards him and started laying out different surgical instruments. Ino took a deep breath, pushing her fear away, and zoning out as Ibiki Morino, the head of her own pack's Torture and Interrogation unit, taught her.

She felt something metal slice her skin, and listened as her body reciprocated, listened to herself scream with a detached mind. Listened to Kabuto tell her that all this would end if she'd hand over her pack. She felt her lips smirk. "Apparently, you don't know alpha's very well. I'll protect my pack with my life."

Kabuto smirked back. "Apparently, you don't know me very well."

She just shrugged as best she could with her good shoulder. She soon realized though, that was a mistake. Her body cried out as the silver haired young man wrenched her shoulder out of place again.

"That's right. Orochimaru dislocated your shoulder. It seems you put it back in place when we weren't watching, naughty pup. We'll have to teach you some manners." Kabuto pressed his palm into her injured shoulder.

As he seemed to grow bored with that, he moved down to her hands that were clenched in fists. He easily pried a finger loose. Without warning, he pulled it back until he heard an ominous crack. He continued with the rest of her current hand, and then began on the other.

It was quite some time later that she was thrown back into her cell, and as she was thrown in she glimpsed that she was right; there was a decomposing arm and leg in there with her. She crawled over to the wall, and propped herself up, promptly passing out.

0o0o0o0

Sakura's first order of business was to get everyone in a general place, Were's and civilian's alike. The human's huddled together, mostly in fear, while Were's stood tensely around them. Sakura calmly stood before all of them.

"We are werewolves." was the first thing out of Sakura's mouth.

Most people's eyes just widened more than they already were.

"We have lived among you for centuries. We mean you no harm. We're here to protect you. At the moment we are in total war with another pack, who only sees you civilians as food. We are going to begin rebuilding the city. Our secret is out it seems but we wish you not to tell people."

One human in particular stepped up, a man on the board for the city. "Your all so young, how can you really expect us to listen?"

Some people nodded in agreement. "We're all not so young. Kakashi here is older than you, and Tsunade even older."

The man looked skeptical, but made no protest.

Sakura sighed, answering a few off-the-wall questions and then directed the injured to their makeshift medical tent. She took the only two doctors their town had and put them to work there.

"You mustn't be afraid of us. It will only hinder your medical abilities and at the moment that is the last thing we need." She said, the two doctors, one man, one woman walking next to her.

They both nodded briskly. Their work was top priority, and medical personnel knew that. You heal first and ask questions later.

They were both assigned work, but it seemed the woman's curiosity got the best of her.

"You're…you're not that old are you? Not even in our terms?" The woman, Kyla, if Sakura remembered correctly, asked.

"No. I'm only eighteen. I haven't even been a Were that long. I have just recently been turned but with our alpha missing, I'm the next best thing as the alpha's mate." Sakura smiled reassuringly, "But, that doesn't mean I'm not good at it. I've been taught everything, and I'm the best Healer we have."

"Your alpha, has he been captured by your…enemy?" The woman's eyebrow's furrowed.

"She has, by the Sound pack, who has made many enemies. We, the Konoha pack is the strongest pack around, and we have many allies. Capturing Ino was a great feat and a dangerous one."

"She?" The doctor raised an eyebrow.

Sakura almost growled in frustration. "Please, no homophobic bullshit."

The doctor just shrugged. "With only four doctor's I don't know how you expect to get much done."

"As Were's we have special…powers that help us…speed up healing. We can force cells to regenerate more quickly. With you setting bones, and stitching wounds, it will take a burden off our backs."

Kyla's eyebrows rose to her hairline. "I would love to study that sometime. Is it really possible?"

"Yes, now, I haven't any time left to spare."

Sakura took off heading back to her Were's. She stood before them. "We need a team to figure out Orochimaru's hiding place. He's probably taken Ino to an interrogation building. Itachi, as head of the ANBU, you're in charge of that. Use who ever you need. I want everyone with healing powers or a medical background helping in the medical tent. That's also where I will be, but I'm also trying to find a way to lift this mind-spell."

0o0o0o0

Many grueling hours later, Sakura sat exhausted in a chair at the medical tent. It had taken three High class Were's and all of there energy to lift the mind-spell, but they could finally speak with each other.

Several people had approached her and told her to get some rest before she passed out from exhaustion. She'd been in Were form, fighting, for over a week straight, also using her healing powers to the full of it's extent. If she wiped herself completely of magic she could send her body into shock, in which only Tsunade could save her from, Tsunade who had no time for her.

As it was nearing nightfall, she relented, and went to the nearest cot. The next thing she knew, Ino's mother was shaking her awake, urgently. "Wake up! We've just found a large number of people trapped under fallen rubble. Most are gravely injured and Tsunade's running out of magic. Some of the ANBU are working spells to clear the debris as fast as they can."

Sakura nodded and leaped from the cot, grabbing a fresh med kit and clipping it to her belt. Mrs. Yamanaka led Sakura to the building where she found several ANBU working low level ice magic, freezing the concrete, and them smashing it with expertly placed kicks, over and over.

She began to join them, sending off an ice spell before she arrived. Several more ANBU showed up and they began a system. The magic users stood back, casting as fervently as their magic allowed them, and Were's who were strictly Combat Were's destroyed the frozen objects.

It took a half-hour to reach the people. It was nearing dawn again. She saw the people, and her vision wavered, and she fell back. She didn't fall completely as someone near her caught and righted her.

Shisui's soft, dark eyes looked at her sternly. "Sakura Haruno, what have you been doing with yourself."

"Nothing good." She muttered and slipped down to the people.

She ordered none of them to move. She attended the most injured first, dredging up energy she didn't even know she possessed. She then sent them with ANBU to the medical tent. That in and of itself took another two hours. Sakura finished the last one, then turned to Shisui who helped her out of the fallen building. As soon as she stood on flat ground, she blacked out.

0o0o0o0

Ino woke again to feel herself being dragged somewhere. Again, she was strapped to a table. When she expected to feel physical pain, nothing came. Then she felt something enter her mind. It started sifting through her most prominent memories.

_Oh,_ Ino smirked, _in my mind, huh? That's a game you will lose._

_Probably not._ Kabuto's mind-voice told her.

Her smirk grew wider, and she mentally grabbed him and sent a sharp jolt along their connection and smirked when Kabuto withdrew from her mind, physically wincing. She then threw up her strongest mental shields. Nothing could get passed them, not even Sakura who she had the strongest mental link with.

She watched Kabuto enter the room scowling, making her smirk. "Didn't work did it? I bet Orochimaru's gonna be angry. What'll happen to his lap pup?"

Kabuto growled and slapped her across the face, breaking her lip open. The smile never left her lips. Not even when he sent his magic into her and alit her nerves afire, making her scream in agony.

0o0o0o0

Sakura woke in the private quarters she'd been allowed in one of the apartment buildings that were still standing. After locking the door she walked down to the bathroom, and promptly stripped. She turned the shower on as hot as it would go, stepping under the scalding spray.

It was them that she let her calm façade drop. She screamed, sinking to her knees, tears mixing with water as both ran down her face. She tugged at her pink hair, fingernails digging into her scalp.

Ino was gone. How could she be expected to deal with that so calmly? She could feel a trace of what Ino felt through their bond. What she did feel, made her own body ache in pure agony, only a small fraction of what Ino herself felt.

Sakura sat crouched in the shower long after the water ran cold. As soon as she felt her body was numbed enough, she turned the shower off, walking to the bedroom and collapsing in the foreign bed, finding sleep only through exhaustion.


	11. Chapter 11

Authoress Note: Hello, Karasu Kyra here.

I'd just like to say, chapter eleven of The Pack is going to take me some time because I lost where I was going with the Ino captured bit. I'd also like to announce I finally got a beta! Go, GS Dragono!

Yeah, I also would like to announce that I am looking for a co-writer for the sequel to The Pack, titled Book of Revolution. I'd very much appreciate it if you'd help me!

I got my first side-fic out for The Pack, though it's rather stand-alone. You should be able to find it in my profile.

I'd like to take the time to say that, I'm amazed at the popularity of this fic. So many people look forward to it, and I am very surprised.

Also, this fic started out with a rough plan, and was much shorter in my head, but I've been getting so many ideas with it that I'm starting to rush it and it's turning out terrible. I'm very much planning on finishing it, but it may be another week or two before chap 11 is up. Sorry about that.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for all your support and enthusiasm.

Karasu Kyra 


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Sorry, I forgot to put this in when I posted. I was just so excited. Anyway, thanks to my beta GS Dragono! There will be roughly three more chapters, I think. There will be a sequel called Book of Revolution. Anyway, read and review.

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Eleven: The Loss of the Pack

:Sakura, come quickly!: Itachi's mind-voice yelled urgently into the pink-haired girls head.

:Coming!: Sakura replyed, sprinting from the hospital and stopping just long enough to grab a med-pack and clip it to her belt. :What's going on?:

The older Uchiha relayed the situation to the alpha-in-command as she ran towards his chakra signature. :A woman, Lyra, entered Konoha last night at about two in the morning. I've been questioning her since then. She claims she defected from Orochimaru and knows his whereabouts and his number of combatants. From what I can tell, she's not lying…:

Sakura nodded to herself. :Alright. Who's got the strongest mind-magic?:

:Ah, that would be Tsunade, as our former alpha.:

Sakura halted a moment on the roof of a house, mind-calling Tsunade's name. :Itachi, send someone to get her. She's not answering mind-calls.:

:Alright. I'll see you when you get here.:

Itachi's presence lifted from the pink-haired girls' mind, for the most part. She could still feel him in the very edge of her subconscious. Sakura pushed herself faster as hope bubbled in her chest at the prospect of finding her mate and her pack's alpha.

She arrived before Itachi shortly. Tsunade was already with him and a woman she'd never seen before, presumably Lyra. Itachi took command of the situation. "Sakura, this is Lyra. Lyra, this is our alpha."

The woman got down on one knee, sliding off the chair she was on. She bowed her head in respect, leaving her neck vulnerable. "Alpha-san, I wish to become a part of your pack. In return I'll give you the whereabouts of Orochimaru's hideout and how many people he has that can fight."

Sakura stared, and then turned her attention toward the former alpha. "Tsunade?"

Tsunade paused a moment. "She's not lying."

"Fine. Lyra, you're accepted to the pack. Itachi, have one of the ANBU mark her." Sakura nodded to herself again.

'That should do for now. After Lyra is marked, I'll get a map drawn, a team together.

The youth closed her eyes tightly, forcing herself to lock her emotions away.

She heard Itachi lead Lyra away. Sakura turned, heading to the chair that Lyra had occupied.

0o0o0o0

Ino looked fuzzily at the door, the many sedatives in her system making her lethargic. A light washed over the blonde, and it took her a moment to realize that the door had opened. The alpha laughed hysterically as her captors dragged her from the cell.

Ino's laughter faded away as her captors began towing her deeper into the compound, passed the torture room she was normally kept in. A shudder passed through her as the alpha saw the metal table glistening in the flourescent light. They continued on down many halls, twisting and turning.

The passage kept getting darker and darker and Ino briefly wondered how her captor could see, before she realized that it was her vision blacking out, rather than the hall. A door crashed open and the leader was hurled inside.

Someone followed her, chuckling nonchalantly. "Ino Yamanaka… Turn your pack over to Orochimaru-sama."

Ino was too weary to even be bothered with who was addressing her. She could only feebly shake her head no, before going into another fit of hysteric laughter. Give up her pack? And they called her crazy! A kick to the gut sent the werewolf flying to the other end of the room

"Have it your way."

The door creaked, closing with another slam. A click reverberated through the room, announcing that the door was locked. The alpha blinked, aqua-marine eyes surveying the blinding room. Absolute white. Everything a blinding ivory. And to boot it smelled overly sterile.

No sounds, no colors… Nothing to keep count of. Ino's heart raced. That was when she realized she could hear her breaths. The alpha smiled again. Laying on her back in the center of the room, she began to count her breaths.

One.

Two.

Three.

She kept going to fifty, then sped her breathing up.

Fifty-one.

Fifty-two.

Fifty-three.

She counted to eighty before growing tired of that, beginning to alternater between slow and fast.

Eighty-one.

Eighty-two.

Eighty-three.

Eighty-four.

Eighty-five.

Eighty-six.

Eighty-seven.

Eighty-eight…

The door opened with a bang. Whimpering and two pairs of shuffling feet entered the room. Ino looked up.

"S-Sakura?!" She yelled, her eyes widening.

Her mate was gagged and was shoved into the room. Sakura's clothing was even worse than the conditions of Ino's. The ragged pieces of cloth closely resembled bloody rags, just barely hanging on the girl's body.

Sakura whimpered again. A muffled cry sounded from the pink haired girl as she was thrown to the floor. Three men came into the room, all wearing lecherous grins. The biggest one seemed to be the leader.

"Tie the blonde up." He commanded.

The other two men came forward, chaining Ino to the wall. With her wrists above her head, she could just barely stand on the floor using her tip-toes. Ino watched in absolute horror as they chained Sakura in the center of the roomm just as she had been. Sakura's eyes were wide with terror.

Ino screamed as the one in charge pulled out a whip and began to circle her mate. He lashed out with the whip, striking the pink-haired girl's thigh. Sakura's tormenter continued his circle.

"Stop!" the blonde screamed as a muffled cry tore itself from her mate's throat.

"Give us your pack?"

Ino froze. She glanced at Sakura, then the floor, then the hand holding the whip, and back to Sakura. As the girl shook her head 'no', the alpha's mind was made up. "No."

She trusted her mate to know her limits. All she could do then was gaze in mute horror and pain as her mate received blow after blow from the leather whip. She heard crack after crack. Cry after cry. The same repeated question after the same repeated question.

Ino's gaze dropped to the floor. Sakura's feet and the floor around it were smeared with blood. The blood was so bright, the alpha numbly thought, against the ivory of the room. She watched more blood spatter to the ground, adding to the almost neon glow of it.

"Give us your pack?"

"Never!" Ino bit back harshly.

The man with black hair, the man in charge pointed at Sakura, barking an order at his subordinates, "Strip her."

The men nodded from their position near the door. They came forward, ripping Sakura's bloodied rags from her body. They threw them in a corner of the stark white room. The large man ran a hand over her stomach, making the pink-haired girl whimper.

"Your pack?"

Ino swallowed dryly as Sakura shake her head again. "N-no."

"Mm, that's fine by me."

Their tormenter picked up the whip once more and began striking the alpha's mate again.

"Several of your pack's dead, ya' know. We killed 'em. There were a bunch of the brats. A blonde boy, a couple Uchihas, a small brunette, a silver haired man, a blonde woman who looked strikingly like you…" The man nonchalantly addressed Ino, whipping Sakura.

Ino's eyes widened. Naruto? Kakashi? Even Itachi? Then the man's final words sunk in. ". . . M-mother?" She whipsered

"And this girl here… She's so beautiful." He purred, a sick grin on his face. "I just had to have her for myself…" The tormenter dropped the weapon.

Ino stared in total dread and despair as the man started fumbling with the zipper to his pants. After completely removing his pants and undergarments, their tormenter advanced on Sakura.

He moved in front of her and entered her roughly. Sakura screamed. Ino numbly watched as more blood ran down Sakura's legs, joining that on the floor. Ino's voice was frozen in her throat, her entire mouth dry.

"Fine. You can have it!" She swallowed. "My pack is yours! Orochimaru can have Konoha. Just stop!" Ino screamed. "Don't hurt her!"

AN: I wasn't sure if this was too graphic to be teen, so I'm really nervous about that. It seemed to _me_ appropriate to be teen, but...

Also, I ask that I get five reviews that are something more than, "Update soon!!" Those kind aren't all that encouraging. So, basically, you'll get your chapter when I get my reviews! Ha!


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Sorry about the long in-between thing. It's been some time since I've updated, no? Ehehe... -She laughs and dodges sharp pointy objects.-

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Twelve: The Search of the Pack

The man raping Sakura, stopped. He removed himself and put his pants back on. "Oh?"

He nodded and left the room. He came back, just moments later with a paper. "A blood pact. You know what those are?"

Ino shook her head. "Not really…"

"Well, you heard a' civilizations disappearin', yeah? Well, these are most likely th' cause. Th' person a' signs 'em, if 'ey go back on 'eir word, every'un they ever even breathed a word ta', dies."

Ino's eyes widened. Then, she took one look at Sakura and her resolve hardened. "Fine."

The man came forward and undid one of the manacles holding the alpha's wrist. "Sign it."

Ino used the pen thrust in her hand and signed her name. Then her other hand was set free, a blade placed in it.

"Now, spill yer' blood on th' pape' and it'sa' done deal."

Ino froze.

Was she really going to do this?

She looked at Sakura, who had passed out. Yes, she was.

Wait…

She couldn't _feel_ her mate. Well, she could. But, she was in no pain. Just horribly worried.

But, that means…

"No." Ino glared.

Without warning, she thrust forward, driving the knife deep in the man's chest. She twisted the blade before pulling it out and kicking him out of the way. The two men guarding the door came forward. Ino ducked and slid across the room and picked up the whip. She caught the wrist of one with it and sent him across the room. She slit the other's throat. Then she went to the one scrambling to get up. He slipped in the blood, giving Ino the opening to slit his throat. She surveyed her work, then dispelled the illusion.

0o0o0o0

Sakura stared at Lyra. "He's to the west?"

At her nod, she marked the map. "Can you show me the most direct, discreet route there?"

Lyra ran a finger along the route, of which Sakura marked. "Alright."

Sakura sat back and surveyed the completed map. She then turned to Itachi, beside her. "How soon do you think we can get a team assembled and be prepared?"

"Mm, half a day at least…"

"Fine. Get a team together and include Kakashi. He'll be valuable as the former Captain of ANBU."

Itachi nodded and disappeared. She sighed and leaned back in her chair, looking at the stern looking woman. Lyra had been marked as part of the Konoha pack hours earlier. Unsurprisingly, her and Sai had known each other, and hit it off.

She shook her head. "I'm leaving."

She sighed and transported herself into the apartment she had been allowed. "Mom?"

"Yes, dear? Has there been any new developments?" Mrs. Yamanaka's worried voice came from the couch.

Sakura took a seat in the living room and sighed. "A lot actually. A woman from the Sound pack has defected here. She's been joined as one of ours on Tsunade's confirmation of her not lying. She's provided us with how to get to Orochimaru's base…"

"Your serious? No, of course you are. That's wonderful! When will you be leaving?"

"In half a day, Itachi thinks."

"Get some rest then. I'll wake you in a couple hours."

Sakura nodded and drifted away from the living room. She went down to her room, and crashed on the unfamiliar bed.

0o0o0o0

Ino surveyed her work, then nodded to herself. She searched the men for any weapons, medicine, anything of use. All she could find was the blade and the whip. She took the blade, and slipped out of the room.

In the hallway she silently walked down it, going the way she thought they had taken her from. She found she was right as she passed her former torture room. She continued down the hall, listening carefully.

She turned another hall. That was when she heard the voices. She followed them to a fork in the hall. She went the opposite way. She kept her back to the wall as much as possible and all senses alert.

She grew anxious when she started smelling fresh air. She kept following the sent, near running. The smell was growing stronger as she kept running. She sprinted around a corner and-

-she ran right into Orochimaru. Literally.

She fell on her ass with a grunt. She glared up at the snake-like Were, wishing him to hell. She smirked at the look of surprise that crossed his face. Then his yellow eyes hardened and he smiled.

"The pup got out? I guess _I'll_ have to break her into obedience." Orochimaru's eyes gleamed as he licked his lips.

He placed a paralyzing spell on her, one she couldn't break. He dragged her to a new room and hung her by her wrists in a dark room. She couldn't see anything. She closed her eyes and shut off her mind as her torture began again.

0o0o0o0

Sakura woke with a jolt, panting. Ino's mother was in the room, looking worried. "You were screaming."

"I-I was having a nightmare. I'm fine now."

Ino's mother didn't say anything for some time. "Well, if you say so… Itachi's looking for you."

Sakura nodded and sighed wearily. As she got ready her mind drifted back to her nightmare.

She was running. She could smell fresh air, different against the dank, moldy air. Her entire body hurt, hurt so bad. She had memories of…of herself being tortured, but at the same time, she knew they weren't real.

She kept running. She rounded a corner, and then ran right into Orochimaru. He'd grinned and said, "The pup got out? I guess _I'll_ have to break her into obedience."

Then she was frozen. That was when Ino's mother woke her.

She shivered and walked out the front door, leaping towards her destination. She found Itachi at the makeshift ANBU base, standing with a group of masked people. She could sense Sasuke, Naruto, Shisui, Kakashi, Itachi, and Tsunade.

The pink-haired girl was glad it was them. She knew them personally and knew they were all strong. Sasuke the Uchiha prodigy, Naruto of the Kyuubi, Shisui the Teleporter, Kakashi the Master of 1000 Magic, Itachi of the Mangekyo, Tsunade of the Three Sennin, and Jaraiya of the Three Sennin.

The third Sennin, well…Orochimaru wasn't much to speak of, in Sakura's opinion. She knew the snake-like man had once been part of the Konoha pack. Jaraiya, Orochimaru and Tsunade were three Were's that worked together very well. Together they were known as the Three Sennin, three of the strongest Were's ever to exist.

She sighed, running a hand through her pink locks. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes. Lyra will be guiding us there and fighting with us. She's proven herself to me." Itachi spoke, pulling his mask off in respect.

Sakura nodded. "Alright, let's go."

"Yes," the small group chorused simultaneously.

Lyra leapt first, her indigo hair blowing behind her. The rest of the team followed closely behind. They arranged themselves in a tactical position. Sakura and Itachi were just behind the indigo-haired girl. Behind them were Shisui, Tsunade, and Kakashi, and behind them on rear guard duty was Sasuke and Naruto.

Silently, they all leapt through the trees, dashing back and forth to avoid a straight line. Sakura silently watched the trees fly by her, contemplating her worry. Was Ino alright? Her life was fading; Sakura could feel that much.

Suddenly, her mind switched directions. It started contemplating happier times, like when she first learned to 'tree-hop' as it was so fondly dubbed.

"_Watch this!" Ino smiled, her golden eyes ecstatic. She leapt into the trees, and started leaping from branch to branch, easily balanced._

_Sakura, startled, ran through the forest floor after her, staying just under the blondes' shadow. Once they were a good distance into the forest, Ino dropped down and stood before Sakura. "See? You wanna try?"_

"_Uhm," Sakura said, her green eyes were wary. "Well, I guess I'll _try_."_

_Ino shrugged. "I wouldn't ask for anything more."_

_Ino then walked over to the trees and leapt up. "'Kay, try this much."_

_Sakura nodded and then started running forward, jumping at the last moment. She felt her body rise in the air, her outstretched foot almost to the branch. Her foot caught the edge of the branch and then slipped, her hands flying upward to grab anything she could._

_A hand filled her own and held her steady, dangling in the air. She looked up to see Ino crouched on the branch, holding her up and smiling. Ino lifted her and set her on the branch. "Try again?" the blonde asked, sympathetic._

"_Yeah. I've got to get this sooner or later, right?" Sakura tilted her head in wry amusement._

"_Unfortunately." Ino smiled again._

_Sakura smiled back and dropped to the ground. She walked backwards to get a running start. She surged forward, again jumping, a foot outstretched. Her foot landed and she shifted her momentum forward so that she could get entirely on the branch. She grinned brightly, turning to Ino. "I did it!"_

"_You did," said Ino, smiling supportively. "Now, jump to the next branch."_

_Sakura leapt forward again, aiming for the next branch, only able to make it to the closest one. She'd seen Ino jumping four or five branches at a time._

"_Go back to the ground, jump to your branch, but don't stop. Keep going and use your inertia to your advantage. Newton wasn't a genius for nothing." The blonde grinned, her amber eyes encouraging._

_Sakura shook her head and ran again, leaping to the branch and then the next with no hesitation. She turned back and discovered she'd skipped three branches. Sakura yelled, "I did it!"_

"_Good job, love." Ino jumped over to her lover. "Just keep practicing."_

Sakura's mind drifted to the present, and to the people around her. These strong people surrounded her. She could feel it; soon would be the day Orochimaru and the Sound pack fell.

AN: Please, kindly review!


	14. Chapter 14

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Thirteen: The Encounter of The Pack

Ino smiled, her bloody teeth dull in the minimum light.

"Why are you smiling, pup?" Orochimaru hissed, putting down his most recent instrument of torture.

He currently had Kabuto working on knitting the alpha's broken kneecaps together, leaving her a moment of straight thinking –and feeling. She felt her pack coming.

"No answer, hmm? Well, that's alright." Orochimaru motioned Kabuto out of the way. He stood before Ino, a serrated knife in his hands. He touched the tip of it to a place on her abdomen.

"Did you know; if I stab you right here, it will cause no real harm to your body? There will be no internal organs punctured, no internal bleeding, though there will be excruciating pain. But, if I stab you here," the snake-like alpha said, moving the knife lower. "You will no longer be able to reproduce because it will sever your fallopian tubes. It will also cause internal bleeding."

He then moved the knife side-ways on her body. "If I stab you here, it will sever the urinary tract and that is a most horrible pain. You could pass out, but the strong-willed never do. You'll die if not treated immediately.

And on top of this, it's a serrated knife," Orochimaru said, grinning with perverse glee.

He then slid the knife right into her body, right where it was, severing her urinary tract if he wasn't lying. Ino screamed. By the Alphas, it hurt. Especially the serrated knife. It tore instead of cut.

The Sound alpha twisted the blade and pulled it out of the blonde's body. "And now," he hissed, "I'll go see to our guests!"

0o0o0o0

Sakura's eyes flitted in several directions, searching for enemies. She ran to the next wall before pressing her back into it. She looked at Lyra across from her and nodded. The older woman and the pink-haired girl crossed paths diagonally, pressing their backs to a new wall.

Lyra had led the entire group into Orochimaru's compound without much resistance. They only met a small group of sentries, and a guard on the way in. She'd then led them into the building itself, but then confessed that Ino could be in one of many rooms.

They then split up and were searching the rooms systematically. They opened doors, searched rooms, and fought a few enemies here and there. Sakura felt they had it easy, both in that Lyra knew where she was going, she was a good fighter, and that Sound was taken in surprise seeing one of their own with Leaf.

Sakura then motioned Lyra to stay and she took off first, checking the rooms for signs of life or not. She opened the door nearest her with no signs of life. It was a torture room, covered in rancid blood. Rancid, but fresh and Ino's own. It made her body stiffen and rage boil in her veins. If her mate wasn't alive, so help her enemies…

0o0o0o0

Itachi pressed himself to the wall, his husband on the other wall. Itachi nodded to Shisui before the taller of the two kicked open the door and the other ran into the room. Itachi followed Shisui into the room who was already locked hand-in-hand with Kabuto.

The true-born Uchiha ran toward the silver-haired male raising a well-aimed kick to the others vulnerable side, only to be stopped by a forearm. The owner of said arm released a magic spell at the Captain of ANBU. Itachi flipped backwards and brought a shield up to guard against the flame.

As an Uchiha, he had natural shields that blocked fire-spells, but enemies seemed to learn far too quickly for his tastes. He crouched and attempted knocking the other's feet from under him only to have them jumped over. He twisted completely and came back up.

He caught the blade of his opponent on his forearm guard but the enemy had enough strength to cut through. He winced as it sliced his flesh open, but managed to grab his short sword in the process. He swung it towards the man's neck, who ducked, retracted his sword and jumped backwards.

Itachi took a deep breath, calming his racing nerves and looked to Shisui's battle with Kabuto.

The brown-haired Uchiha's breathing was labored as was the medical-Were's. Kabuto closed his eyes for a moment, giving Shisui the chance to get behind him, his donated-Sharingan activated. He swung his blade downwards, just catching the silver-haired man's shoulder blade as he backed away.

Shisui growled and began concentrating his energy and releasing a high-level earth spell, sending columns of the ground up towards Kabuto and twisting after him in chase. Kabuto leaped and twisted, avoiding and landing on top of each column with all the grace of a gymnast.

Shisui flipped towards Itachi, pressing their backs towards each other. Shisui turned his head back and whispered, his golden eyes weary, "I need help, soon!"

"I know, love. I'm trying. Trade me?" Itachi whispered back.

"Please?"

Shisui nodded and Itachi nodded. They moved simultaneously, moving to face each other's opponent.

Shisui moved first, flash-stepping behind his new, burly opponent. He then used his sword to press to the man's vulnerable throat. "Game over," said the brown-haired man, slitting the man's throat.

He then appeared at Kabuto's front, since Itachi was behind him. They each gave an imperceptible nod and struck at the same time. The hilt of Itachi's blade came to land at the base of the other man's skull, jarring his cerebellum. Shisui's blade slit the man's throat, the silver-haired Werewolf's blood joining that of his comrade on the brown-haired man's blade.

The two stood, breathing heavily, for a few moments. "Okay, let's get moving," said Itachi.

Shisui nodded and the pair slipped out the door toward where he felt Sakura's magic flare.

0o0o0o0

Kakashi ducked a blow that would have beheaded him, twisting just in time to see Tsunade fall. He sprinted forward and raised his katana to counter the blow that would have mortally wounded the former alpha. Having more in the way of pure physical strength, he pushed his opponent forward, an onyx-haired woman who he would have found attractive if not for the woman's obsessive need to impair him for the rest of his life.

He sighed to himself. Such a waste. She would make a good character for Jaraiya's up and coming novel.

He pushed forward, sending the woman off-balance. Tsunade who'd already come to her feet, had a dagger in her hand, hesitating a moment before rushing forwards and beheading the woman with one, clean stroke.

Kakashi sucked in a breath as Tsunade retreated to a corner to reassemble herself, shaken at the sight of blood. He swung his katana at the man in the room who parried and side-stepped it. He jumped as a swing of the other man's katana was aimed to impair his walking. He stepped neatly on the blade, and used his free hand to take the man's head off.

He turned to the blonde woman in the corner of the room, still shaken and dazed. He growled. They hadn't time for this! In a remote part of his mind, he yelled at himself for being a hypocrite, what with musing on the woman's looks earlier. He stepped up to Tsunade and delivered a swift, stinging slap to her cheek.

She blinked a couple times, bringing herself to reality. Both of the Werewolves heads snapped to attention when they felt their current main-alpha's magic flare. They took off at a sprint.

0o0o0o0

Naruto dashed down another empty hall, growling at the lack of life in it. This was getting to repetitive in his opinion. He looked at his lover's stoic face, able to read the signs of worry under the Uchiha mask. He sighed.

Sasuke tried not to let his worry show, if only for Naruto's sake. The Uchiha guided them down another hall, this one, too, showing no signs of life. He kept up his sprint, going down bending after twisting hallway. He growled as they came upon a dead end.

"This way," he muttered.

He led his lifebonded back and down the opposite hallway he'd chosen. They kept running in circle after circle. That was when he saw something that was off. A place Naruto had gotten frustrated and punched the wall. It was here, _again_.

_An illusion_, his mind whispered.

He pulled his hands together, forming the seal for a dispelling magic. He muttered, "Release."

The image of walls around them faded and reappeared looking very much the same, except for the petite blond girl at the end of the hall. She giggled in a childish way. "My, my," she said, "I was wondering when one of you would get it."

She giggled again and before Sasuke realized, she was behind him, sending a kick to the back of his knees, sending him to the ground. Naruto had already turned and was aiming a kick to the blonde head. The blonde blocked it easily with her forearm.

He jumped backwards, having nowhere else to send his inertia. He helped Sasuke back up and the two started circling the smiling, harmless-looking blonde girl. Her eyes were closed and curved in happiness.

Sasuke tensed as violet eyes snapped open, staring him down with a maliciousness only his subconscious could come up with. "My name's Alice and I don't like you very much!" announced Alice with the voice of a child.

The two continued circling carefully, watching for any hint of movement. That was why, when Sasuke was, again, thrown to the ground by a kick aimed at his side, his breath was knocked out of him. He wasn't expecting it. He hadn't seen any movement.

He got up just in time to see Naruto come crashing down to the floor with a sickening crunch as his arm twisted awkwardly underneath himself. Sasuke's eyes snapped to the blonde, his Sharingan spinning wildly. He quickly spat out a fireball magic. The blonde dodged nimbly.

He growled again. He ran forward, seeing the blondes movements just half-a-second before she made them, as a double image. It made it harder to interpret it to a new user, but Sasuke was anything but a novice.

He grabbed his blade and waited for the blonde to move again, since she'd stilled as he grabbed his sword. Half his attention then snapped towards the wall as he felt a flare of magic from his pink-haired alpha. He cursed colorfully, proposing his blonde opponent do things with her mother that just weren't anatomically possible.

He darted forward, carefully watching her movements before choosing the correct moment to remove her head from her body, doing so in one movement. He then turned his attention toward Naruto, who was off to the side, cradling his broken wrist, a green magic extending from himself to set the bone in place. He wouldn't be able to put much strain on it, but it would heal alright if they got out of this.

If being the operative word as they turned toward the major disturbance between Sakura and a magical presence he vaguely recognized, but couldn't place.

0o0o0o0

Sakura darted out of the room, Lyra in tow. They dashed carefully through the hallways, still checking rooms but not as thoroughly. They kept running and sprinting down the corridors until they came upon a hallway they heard voices. The pink-haired girl motioned the lavender-haired woman to stand ready. She crept to the nearest wall and positioned herself. She kicked the door open and stepped back so Lyra could have first strike at who or what ever may lay beyond it.

Nothing. There was an empty room. They systematically searched it, with a quick thoroughness. They then moved to the room on the opposite side of the hallway. They positioned themselves and Sakura kicked open the door once again. Again, nothing. Sakura growled in her head in frustration.

They positioned themselves at the last door. Sakura's heart pounded and she took a calm breath to calm herself. She took a couple more breaths before giving the signal. She kicked open the door, swinging herself out of the way. She heard more than saw Lyra dart forward, a growl escaping her lips followed by a whimper and a thud.

The pink-haired girl darted into the room and came face to face with Orochimaru of the three Sennin.

AN: Review, loves!


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Welcome to chapter fourteen, my dearest readers!

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Fourteen: The Win of the Pack

Sakura flared her magic, jumping to the side as a dagger embedded itself into the wall right where her head would have been. She then fell into a roll on the floor coming back up with a high-level ice magic ready to throw at Orochimaru. She then had to dodge another dagger before she loosed her magic on the snake-like Were.

He appeared on the other side of the room. The pink-haired girls' eyes widened as she hadn't seen the thin needle-like projectile coming toward her. It embedded itself into her upper arm.

"Shit," she cursed to herself.

She could feel a sedative coursing into her bloodstream, directly. She growled a deep, menacing growl. She'd have to finish this quickly if she had any hopes of surviving. She darted to the side, starting to mutter the words of a summoning spell.

She kept trying to dodge the magic thrown at her, but she could feel her body slowing each minute. She hissed as a dagger landed in her thigh. She pulled it out swiftly and sent it back at Orochimaru, sealing the wound closed with a small bit of healing magic.

The Sound alpha caught with ease. Had she really thrown it _that_ slow? She hadn't thought so. She bit her bottom lip, briefly, before continuing her ritual words. She still needed time, dammit!

She slipped out the door and braced her back against the wall. She started speaking faster, focusing more attention on her words. That's why she didn't see Orochimaru dart out of the door behind her. She turned just in time to see his sword coming down toward her chest.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion from there. She could hear every breath, hers and her opponents, slow to a crawl as did their motions. She had no time to move. She was going to die because of a rookie mistake! Dammit!

She kept speaking the summoning spell, hoping to beat the sword that was going to plunge into her. The pink-haired girl didn't have time! There was no time! She could hear her heartbeat increase even more. She closed her eyes and heard the blade sink into flesh, heard blood gushing…but, no pain.

She opened her eyes to red-filled vision. White hair, dark eyes looking at her and a grim smile on the head of Jaraiya. Her eyes widened in shock. He took the hit. She saw Orochimaru's golden eyes narrow, pain flashing briefly across them before a malicious smile drew over his features.

He twisted his blade in the heart of Jaraiya and then pulled it out. The white-haired man's body fell to the ground with a thud. The flame of his existence disappeared entirely as Sakura fell to the ground beside him. No, he wouldn't die. Sakura wouldn't let him. Dammit, this was her fault!

Then, Tsunade was beside her and Kakashi was in front of all of them. Tsunade's eyes were wide and despite her fear of blood, her hands went immediately to his wound and began trying to heal him.

Sakura, still frozen, shook her head and began backing away. This was her fault. It was all her fault! She should have been paying more attention! No, no, no. She'd never had a comrade die in battle before and most certainly not because of her own mistake. No, no, no, no.

Vaguely, she could hear Kakashi calling her name, but she took no heed, too encompassed in her sorrow and regret to _really_ hear. She distantly saw that Kakashi was being pushed backwards by Orochimaru. She saw Orochimaru take a step backward and then swing downward on to Kakashi who raised his blade to defend himself. She saw Kakashi slowly losing against the strain, saw as his arms shook and lowered centimeter-by-centimeter.

"Sakura!" she finally _truly_ heard.

Without a pause she darted forward, her blade gripped tightly, (too tight, she thought briefly) and swung at Orochimaru's vulnerable side. She watched in horror as he blocked with his own hand, grabbing and twisting it out of her hand, while at the same time, Kakashi was pushed down to one knee.

No! They were losing! How? Sakura cried out as she was kneed in the gut and sent flying across the room. Her back crashed into the wall and she slumped to the floor with a groan. She watched, trying to move, as Kakashi was thrown across the room. He fell to the ground, unconscious.

She struggled to her feet again, calling to her pack. She found it futile, her thoughts were being blocked. _Dammit,_ she thought, _I don't know what to do! I don't know what to do!_

She shook her head. It was not time to go into hysterics. She used a small spell to summon her sword to her hand and began saying the spell for a summoning. She would survive this. No one was going to die because of her again!

She watched Orochimaru slip toward her, licking his lips. He swung his blade toward her abdomen. She blocked it with ease, spinning to the side and driving her own blade into his arm.

The Sound alpha cried out and wrenched himself away. He slunk back to the other side of the room, starting to mutter to himself. Sakura stood her ground on her own side of the room, talking faster but still paying attention to every part of the room.

She muttered the final words of the summoning. She brought her hands together, collecting the magic to her palms, allowing it to be formed into a shape. Before her emerged a large wolf, growling menacingly at Orochimaru.

Sakura watched in pleasure as the man's eyes widened as the wolf darted forward. It was before the alpha in moments. The snake-like man jumped side-ways and backward to avoid the snapping jaws of the animal.

Then he was cornered and the wolf braced itself before Orochimaru. The golden-eyes of the Sound Were darted back and forth taking in every surrounding he could. As the jaws moved forward, he pressed the flat of his blade against its muzzle, keeping the wolf at bay. Then his arms faltered and the wolf pressed closer.

Suddenly, there was the hilt of a katana in the wolf's throat. It's azure eyes widened and it disappeared in bout of smoke. Orochimaru, stood, a grin coming over his lips again. He stepped toward Sakura, again.

In the doorway stood Kabuto Yakushi. He grinned and leaned on the doorway, breathing heavily. He pulled a dagger from the pouch at his side and threw it toward Sakura who sidestepped, eyes wide.

The pink-haired girl's heart raced in panic. She could hardly take Orochimaru let alone, Orochimaru and Kabuto. Shit! What was she going to do?

A blade then pressed itself against the silver-haired Were's throat. Sakura's vision turned behind Kabuto to a grinning Shisui Uchiha. He took Kabuto's head entirely off, walking into the room, saying, "Apparently, I didn't kill him the first time."

Shisui made a show of walking leisurely into the room to stand beside Sakura. Itachi then appeared in front of Kakashi's prone form, a smirk on his lips. "Sorry I took so long. I was finishing up some loose ends."

"Are you ready to play with an Uchiha, Orochimaru? For you now have two."

"Make that three," a voice sounded from the door, a slim figure traipsing in.

"And you'll have to deal with me!" A blonde walked in after that.

Sasuke and Naruto stood at Sakura's other side, a look of fierce determination on their faces.

Orochimaru's eyes widened, he kept sending glances to Itachi. Sakura had heard that Orochimaru had told the third alpha of the Konoha pack, once, that one of the reasons he left was because Itachi was stronger than him. She wondered if it was still true.

She pulled her aching body into a battle stance, ignoring the protesting of her arms. The other fighters in the room followed suit. And even though Orochimaru was surrounded, he kept most of his attention on the oldest Uchiha.

Sasuke moved first, his Sharingan swirling red and black. He ran toward Orochimaru, pulling his sword from its sheath at the same time. He locked blades with Orochimaru, trying to keep his attention as he heard Itachi move beside him, the red of his Mangekyo in his eyes.

Then, the strain on Sasuke's arms lifted as Orochimaru froze, stuck in an illusion magic spun from the Mangekyo itself. Sasuke moved backward, leaving room for the final Uchiha to move forward and swing his blade, aiming for Orochimaru's throat.

No one saw it coming, not even the three Uchiha. Alertness sprung back to Orochimaru's golden eyes and he dropped to his knees, driving his blade deep into Shisui's stomach.

Said man's eyes widened and he gripped the protruding blade with his bare hands, pulling it out. Then he crumpled to the floor, Itachi rushing to block his fallen form from the snake-like enemy.

Sakura ran forward and parried a blow with Orochimaru. The pink-haired girl kicked him in the stomach sending him stumbling backward. She kept up her assault and began raining blows onto Orochimaru.

Slash. Slash. Feint. Dodge. Slash. Parry. Slash.

She kept up this quick-moving dance with the Sound alpha. He took another step backward, the pink-haired girl taking a step forward. She watched Kakashi begin to wake, shifting, making the rubble move. Because of that, Orochimaru's attention veered for just a moment leaving Sakura with a priceless opening.

She then drove her blade into Orochimaru's throat. He gasped, a gurgling gasp as blood flooded his throat. Sakura pulled her blade out and turned it to behead him, but he fell to the ground, clutching his throat. She moved down to him and gave a tired, emotionless smirk, whispering, "Don't mess with the Konoha pack."

Sakura then fully beheaded him, staring down at the man she'd had nightmares over, the man her every move for the past year had been in retaliation to and the man that had taken her lover, her lifebound, her alpha. The man who took her pack's alpha.

"We need to find Ino…" Sakura said to herself, turning to look at everyone.

Upon remembering Shisui, she rushed to his side, dropping gracelessly beside him. She pulled her hands together and focused her healing magic to his stomach. She fed the cells her energy, stimulating them to regenerate faster. She watched with a second eye as the internal organs threaded together and the blood fed itself into the healing. She watched as the most external part of the wound began closing. She kept her hands where they were until all you could see of the previous wound was a faint scar.

"We need to move. I need someone to stay with Kakashi, just in case; Shisui and Itachi that will be your job. Sasuke and Naruto, you're coming with me to find Ino." Sakura walked out the door without another word.

She ran farther down the hall that they currently occupied, before the hall split into four different ways; straight, right, left and the way she came.

"We're splitting up. Naruto, go right. Sasuke, left. I'll be going straight."

The two boys nodded and darted off in the specified direction, Sakura heading straight. She threw open the closest door to her, seeing an empty room. She moved down to the next room throwing open the door. Nothing.

Then she felt Sasuke's magic flare and without another thought, she turned back and fled in his direction. She came back to the part on the hall, turning down the Uchiha's specified hallway. She passed the first room, the second, third, fourth. She came upon the fifth, finally hearing Naruto's footsteps drawing closer. She entered the fifth room on the left.

She was met with Sasuke in front of her lover. Ino, dangling from her wrists, had blood running down her stomach from a cut in her abdomen. The pink-haired girl sprinted forward, only to collapse.

She struggled to lift her body again, but was having a hard time doing so. Then, she remembered the sedative she'd been hit with early. She cursed to herself, then fought against the bone-deep weariness, dragging her body to a sitting position.

Sasuke rushed to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist and dragging her up. He steadied her as she walked to her lover. She then fell to her knees beside Ino, looking over the wound.

_It's about an hour old, internal bleeding…Shit, it's severed the urinary tract._

Sakura lifted her hands to the blonde's stomach and began with 'sewing' the tract back together. She forced the cells to reproduce and come together again. She then worked her way outward. She slowly pulled the cut together forming new cells to replace the dead ones.

The second she finished. She collapsed.

0o0o0o0

Sasuke cursed as Sakura fell. Ino's eyes fluttered open but he paid no mind. She dropped to his side just as Naruto appeared in the room. "Get Ino down," he ordered.

"Got it." The blonde moved up to his alpha, standing on the tips of his toes to reach the knot holding Ino in place. He kept trying to untie the knot, to no avail. Finally, he muttered, "Fuck it," and took a dagger out of a pouch around his waist. He cut Ino down, catching her around the waist as she fell.

He set her down carefully against the wall. "Damn it, we really need to get out of here…"

Sasuke nodded. "Carry Ino, let's go to the others."

Sasuke picked Sakura up and placed her over his shoulder, waiting as Naruto did the same with Ino. The two sprinted to the last room they were in, though not as soon as they would have liked.

Tsunade had carried Jaraiya into the room and had the man's limp from lying near a wall. She herself was collapsed on his form, not crying, looking like she wasn't even in the room with them, so to speak.

Sasuke's brow furrowed and he felt his pounding headache reinforce itself in his mind. "We need to get out of here," he said to no one in particular.

He noticed Shisui against the wall near Kakashi who was sitting up as well. Itachi was on the other side of Kakashi, eyes closed.

The three against the wall looked up as he spoke, as if just noticing him. "Right," Itachi said, pulling himself into a standing position. "Shisui help Kakashi, you two keep hold of the girls."

Sasuke watched as Itachi walked over to Tsunade. They spoke quietly for a moment before Tsunade began shaking her head from side-to-side. "He's gone," he heard her yell in a strangled cry.

Then he was surprised as Itachi hit the base of Tsunade's skull with his fist, knocking her unconscious. Itachi picked up the blonde woman and set her off to the side. "Just a moment."

Then Itachi stepped back and quickly set fire to the corpse of Jaraiya. Those awake in the room watched sorrowfully. They all knew, though, that Jaraiya would be the last Were lost to this war, the Second Great Werewolf war, for it was now over. Everything would return to normal soon. Or at least as it should be.

Itachi then hauled Tsunade over his own shoulder and the few there began making there way out of the compound, Kakashi and Shisui taking care of the little bit of resistance they were met with.

When they reached the woods, everyone's backs to the burning mass that was Orochimaru's hideout, no one said anything. They all ran in silence, the only sounds the sounds of settling wood, burning wood and insects.

Against the setting, blazing sun, a group of weary and anguished fighters crossed into the city of Konoha.

0o0o0o0

AN: Only on chapter to go! Another side-fic is out!

On another note, I'm going to an anime con on the tenth of this month and I'm working it. (Part of it anyway.) Also, I'm either A) working the fanfiction section or B) participating in it.

If I participate in it, I need to pick one or more of my fics or write another. If you have a prompt, an anime I recognize and a pairing, it'd be greatly appreciated if you'd share it with me! Either that, or nominate one of my fics...

Ah, well.

Thanks for listening!

If I get four reviews in the next hour or two, I'll post the final chapter!


	16. Chapter 16

The Pack

By: Karasu Kyra

Chapter Fifteen: Epilogue of The Pack

Ino sighed as she looked at her bandage-covered abdomen. She didn't hurt as much as she did when she first arrived over a week ago. Sakura was in the next room over, exhausted by both overwork and a sedative that left her system just a couple days ago. Itachi had already left the hospital only kept under watch for the first night. Naruto seemed the best off, not fighting too much. Sasuke had drained himself and was under the mother-hen care of his older brother. Shisui was under the same mother-hen care from the same person.

Sasuke now sat at her bedside looking irritated. "Shisui gets just as irritated with Itachi as I do. We're planning an escape."

That elicited a small smile from Ino. "Wanna' help me break out, too? I don't know how much more I can look at these fucking walls."

"I may not be able to get you out, but I bet I could smuggle you into Sakura's room," suggested Sasuke.

Ino smirked. "I _guess_ I could live with that."

"Alright, come on."

Sasuke helped Ino to stand and guided her to the door of the room, where he held open the door for the blonde. She limped out it, leaning on the wall, waiting for Sasuke. The Uchiha came out behind her, glancing around and sending a harsh glare toward any nurse or doctor that looked like they had anything to say about it.

He then pushed her lightly, getting her to move toward the next room over marked, 'S. Haruno'. Sasuke shuffled the blonde in the door before leaving.

Ino quietly pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat. Sakura was asleep on her side. Thin eyelids covered eyes that the alpha knew to be a beautiful shade of green. Her head was turned so it was halfway tucked into the pillow. A strand of pink hair fell over her face, begging Ino to brush it back. Sakura had a hand splayed next to her stomach and the other tucked under her chin.

Ino just continued to stare, in a moment of peace, at her lifebonded, her mate, the love of her life. She didn't know how the girl had come to mean so much to her in such short time, but she suspected it had something to do with the lifebond.

Now, we know Ino will continue to stare, but what we don't know is what will happen after.

Let me tell you what will happen.

The blonde will continue to stare, watching the rise and fall of the pink-haired girls chest as she breaths in, then exhales. She will watch the girl mutter something in her sleep. She will just watch her _be_.

She will keep staring until emerald eyes start fluttering open. Then, even then, she will continue to stare and those green eyes will stare back. Both of the girls will get lost in each others' breaths until Sakura breaks the silence by whispering breathlessly, "Ino."

Ino will smile, a soft smile, as if afraid Sakura might break otherwise and whisper back, "Sakura."

"You're alive."

"So I am."

Then they will stare at each other again, afraid to say more. They will be afraid of shattering the moment. They know that if they shatter the moment, it can be put back together but not exactly the same and it will have cracks, too easy to shatter again.

Then they will get lost in each others eyes, despite how cliché it is, for they don't worry what others think and aren't afraid of getting lost in the other. They know if they do, they'll be happy

They will then look down and Sakura will blush and Ino will give an awkward smile because they hadn't many moments to just be together. There was too much going on. So, it will be as if they just met all over again.

Sakura will look up first and notice a faint pink adorning the blonde's pale cheeks and it will make her smile. Ino will look up and notice Sakura smiling and scowl. She will ask, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing in particular, really."

Then let me tell you what will happen.

A nurse will come in and the moment will be shattered.

0o0o0o0

The nurse, realizing she'd interrupted something, said, "P-please, I'll come back."

Ino looked up at the nurse and smiled. "No, that's alright."

Then the nurse looked closer at the blonde. "Ms. Yamanaka? You're supposed to be in bed!"

Ino smirked sheepishly and let herself be led to her room, sending a fleeting glance toward her pink-haired lover.

0o0o0o0

Ino slipped on her clothes quickly and quietly. She then slipped out her door, silently walking over to Sakura's room and flitting in. She quickly woke the pink-haired girl and whispered excitedly, "Come on! We're breaking out!"

She fourced the pink haired girl up and stripped her of her medical gown before forcing some of her own clothes on the girl. Once Sakura was dressed, she scowled.

"Should we really be breaking out?"

"Probably not, but since when did I listen to humans?" Ino asked with a smirk.

Sakura jumped out of the window behind Ino and smirked back at her. "You listened to me."

"Yeah, well, you were a special case! Besides, we'd need to get out to hunt soon, anyway. We've been in there over a week."

Sakura just rolled her green eyes and ran along the ground behind Ino. The moon was full, illuminating the ground and all the objects on it. The pink-haired girl closed her eyes and used her lovers footsteps to guide her. She took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, enjoying the scent of the night.

Then the blonde took to the trees, leaping from branch to branch. Sakura then said, "You were right, I did get good with practice."

Ino glanced back. "It's simple now, no?"

The green-eyed girl just smiled.

Then the blonde took a sudden turn, heading in another direction before landing on a certain tree in particular.

Ino landed on a tree near a lake, startling a few sleeping birds. As Sakura landed on the branch she watched the birds flight, twisting and turning in the sky, seemingly weightless. Ino watched Sakura watching the birds.

"They're beautiful, those birds in the sky. They're just doing what they were born to do. We can leap and jump great distances, but we can't fly. When it's broken down, its just mathematics, so why can't we fly, Ino?"

"Maybe…we're afraid of the possibilities the sky holds." Ino looked at Sakura who was still looking at the lake.

"But, we can only go so high and so far before we're back where we started." Sakura whispered

"Then perhaps it's that; we're afraid of going back to square one." Ino looked down at her feet on the branch.

Sakura then looked at Ino. "I'd go back to square one. I'd go back to how we used to be before the war."

"I know, me too."

Sakura and Ino were silent for a moment before the blonde turned to her lover. "Sakura, I-" Ino broke off, suddenly, into a sob.

The pink-haired girl took her lifebonded into her arms without a question and the blonde buried her face into Sakura's chest, crying unabashed. "Sakura, I'm so scared! I don't want Tsunade to die! She's-she's the only one keeping me from having absolute power. Of having to make all the decisions and having no one to lean on!"

Sakura was quiet for a few moments while Ino finished crying. Then she said, "You can lean on me."

Ino nodded, still buried against Sakura. She'd just have to trust her mate and see what the future would hold.

_End_

AN: Well, there's the end. Though, as I've said (far too many times) before. There's a sequel called Book of Revolution. I should have BoR up in just a day or two!

Hopefully, I'll see you there!

I'd also like to thank several readers in particular.

**GS Dragono** who beta'd a few chapters, is one. Thanks so much!

**darksoulwolf **for his wonderful ideas and reviews that spawned a few side-fics.

**BioDragon, Sharingan-Fer-Sure, Bad Girl762, Dreaded Demon of Night, and Pheonix To Flame,** have all been very wonderful and constant reviewers. Their support has helped me a great deal and encouraged me.

To everyone who left a review, I thank you so much!

Until next time!

_Karasu Lawliet Kyra_


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